RWBY Reboot
by Hope Xiao Rose
Summary: Here it is, the reboot of RWBY! Into a new dimension, being forced to be there by Bhunivelze, can Hope and Emily stay together?
1. Ruby Rose

_"Legends. Stories scattered through time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past. Man, born from dust, was strong, wise, and resourceful, but he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness — creatures of destruction — the creatures of Grimm - set their sights on man and all of his creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning man's brief existence to the void. However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change, and in time, man's passion, resourcefulness, and ingenuity led them to the tools that would help even the odds. This power was appropriately named "Dust". Nature's wrath in hand, man lit their way through the darkness, and in the shadow's absence came strength, civilization, and most importantly, life. But even the most brilliant lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone... darkness will return"_

An orange haired man and four of his henchmen head down an alley from the shadows. They stop behind Roman, who reignites his cigar without touching it and grins before walking down the road, frightening nearby citizens as they make their way towards the shop From Dust Till Dawn.

 _"So you may prepare your guardians, build your monuments to a so-called "free world", but take heed... there will be no victory in strength"_

The man and his henchmen enter the shop, the camera lowering to a young girl wearing a red cloak in the corner of the shop, reading a weapons magazine.

 _"But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten. Things that require a smaller, more honest soul"_

The henchmen look around and at the Dust crystals in the display when the orange haired man approaches the elderly shopkeeper.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" Asked the man, as one of his henchmen pointed his gun at the shopkeeper. "P-please! Just take my lien and leave!" Shouted the Shopkeeper. "Shhh, shhh, shhh, shhh, calm down, we're not here for your money. Grab the Dust" Said the man, as the other men collected the dust using small round containers. One of the men then noticed a little girl at the back of the store, and walked over to her, pointing a sword at her back. "Alright kid, put your hands where I can see 'em... Hey, I said hands in the air! You got a death wish or something!?" Asked the henchman, before he took her headphones and turned her around. "Yes?" Asked the girl. "I said, put your hands in the air, now!" Shouted the henchman. "Are you... robbing me?" Asked the girl. "Yes!" Shouted the man. "Ooohhh..." Said the girl.

The orange haired man is waiting for his men to finish the heist when a "Hey!" and "Hyah!" are heard, and a henchman flies past him. The orange haired man calmly motions for another to handle the little girl.

"Freeze!" Shouted a henchman.

Cut to outside the shop, when the henchman and the little girl crash through the window. The other men look outside as the little girl gets up and unfolds a thing on her back into its scythe form. Roman scowls, but Ruby smiles back at them before twirling the weapon around, striking it into the ground and turning off her headphones.

"Okayyy... Get her!" Shouted the orange haired man.

The henchmen head out of the shop and run at the little girl, who spins around her scythe and kicks the first approaching criminal in the face. She gets her scythe out of the ground and fires it off to hit another one with the butt of her weapon, sending him flying. She fires again and brings the side down on one attacker and dodges the next's gunfire with her rifle's speed, getting close enough to knock him into the air and follow him upwards so she can beat him away to the orange haired man's feet.

"You were worth every cent. Truly, you were. Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around... I'm afraid this is where we part ways" Said the orange haired man, before he pointed his cane at the little girl.

The orange haired man unleashes a red blast at the little girl from his cane. Suddenly, Hope and Emily appeared between the blast and the little girl and deflected the blast, causing explosions behind them. "... What did we just get jumped into?" Asked Hope. "I dunno" Said Emily. "Who are you two?" Asked the little girl. "Well, what's your name?" Asked Hope. "Ruby Rose" Said Ruby. "... How old are you?" Asked Hope. "16. Anyway. You okay if we go after him?" Asked Ruby. "Sure" Said the shopkeeper, before Hope, Emily and Ruby ran after the orange haired man. Eventually, they make it up to the rooftop the orange haired man went too. "Hey!" Shouted Ruby. "We have to stop you!" Shouted Hope. "Persistent..." Said the orange haired man.

Ruby readies to fight him, but a getaway Bullhead rises up and opens the hatch to allow the orange haired man inside. "It's the end of the line, for you three" Said the orange haired man, as he threw it at them and then fired at it, making a large explosion. "Whoa-ho-ho-ho! Huh?" Asked the orange haired man.

A woman in a purple cape is now in front of Ruby, Emily and Hope, casting a circle of protection over them with her wand. As Ruby looks on, the woman with a purple cape waves her weapon and summons several streaks of purple at the craft. Roman is thrown around in the back until he goes to the cockpit, where a woman in red, her face unseen, is struggling with the controls. "We got a Huntress!" Shouted the orange haired man. The woman gets up and heads toward the back as Roman takes the controls. The woman with purple cape glows purple for a moment and aims another blast above the craft, resulting in a dark storm-cloud right over the jet. "The hell...?" Asked the orange haired man With a flick of her wand, large jagged hail starts falling that pummels the jet and even breaks through the window, narrowly missing Roman's head.

The woman reaches the back and her arms and chest light up like fire, aiming a burst of energy at Glynda. The Huntress blocks it, but the flame splatters behind her and glows hot with the enemy's raised hand. Glynda back-flips out of the explosion, which destroys part of the roof, and magically gathers the shards to create a large arrow, which she throws at the craft. The fiery woman shatters the arrow with several blasts, but it reforms just in time to hit the side of the jet due to Roman's quick aerial lean. The wreckage separates and reshapes into more arrows that encircle the jet, but the woman summons several glowing rings around herself that expand and destroy the shards. "Our attacks aren't working" Said the woman in the purple cape. "What's your name? I don't care about the timing, but what is your name?" Asked Hope. "Glynda" Said Glynda. "Ok" Said Hope, as he took Glynda's Crop and then ran towards the edge of the roof and uses the Crop as a springboard to jump into the Bullhead. Hope then tackled the woman out of the Bullhead. "Hope!" Shouted Emily. "Cinder!" Shouted the orange haired and Cinder then landed on the street below, and the orange haired man flew away in the Bullhead. "Fuck me, that was a bad idea" Said Hope, as he rolled off of Cinder. "Yes it way, you fool" Said Cinder, as she stood up. "You're kidding me, right?" Asked Hope, as he stood up. "Not at all" Said Cinder. Cinder then attempted to punch Hope with a flaming fist, but Hope grabbed it. "What!?" Asked Cinder. "Trust me, it burns a lot. The blister will be memorable" Said Hope, before he pushed Cinder's hand back. "Wish I could see your face. It's a bit too dark though" Said Hope. "Well, I suppose I could help you with that" Said Cinder, before her hand lit on fire and she put her hand close to her face for a second, before moving her hand away. "You're quite hot" Said Hope. "Thank you. I'll still kill you though" Said Cinder. Cinder then summon two swords, seemingly made out of glass. "Glass? To kill me? I worry about you bad guys some days" Said Hope, as he took the two hookblades off of his back. Cinder tried to slash Hope, but Hope parried it and disarmed Cinder of one of her swords. Cinder then shot a stream of fire out of her hands at Hope, which Hope blocked with her two hookblades, but Cinder was slowly pushing Hope back. "This fire..." Said Hope. Suddenly, Ruby started shooting at Cinder. "No!" Shouted Hope, before he blocked a bullet from hitting Cinder, witch hit him in his waist. "Ow" Said Hope. "Why did you do that?" Asked Cinder. "Because... you said you would kill me. You got me..." Said Hope, before Cinder placed her hand over the bullet wound, healing it. "Now I get to ask. Why?" Asked Hope. "Like I said. I want to kill you myself" Said Cinder. "... Ok. See you in a few years, possibly" Said Hope, as Cinder dragged him into the darkness. Cinder then turned Hope around. "We can't kiss, can we?" Asked Hope. "No" Said Cinder. "... Run. The better good guys are coming" Said Hope, as Cinder ran away. "Can't believe that worked" Said Hope, as Ruby, Glynda and Emily ran over to him, with Emily hugging him.

An hour later, in an interrogation room

"I hope that you three realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly. You put yourself and in danger. You even got shot!" Shouted Glynda. "So? I'm not dead, am I?" Asked Hope. "And besides, they started it!" Shouted Ruby. "... If it were up to me, you'd all be sent home with a pat on the back... And a slap on the wrist" Said Glynda, as she hit the table with her crop. "I prefer the pat, thanks" Said Emily. "Well, who know? Maybe she slaps like a kitten, but pats like a bear?" Asked Hope. "Does this dimension have animals in it?" Asked Emily. "Good question" Said Hope. "But... there is someone here who would like to meet you three" Said Glynda.

She moves out of the way so a surprised Ruby can see a man in green come through the doorway, holding a mug and a plate of cookies.

"Ruby Rose... You... have silver eyes" Said the man in green. "Uh, um..." Said Ruby. "Well done, sir. You have normal seeing eyes" Said Hope. "Does this dimension have normal eyes?" Asked Emily. "If I know..." Said Hope. "What do you mean by dimension?" Asked the man in green. "Absolutely no thing in the world" Said Hope. "Oh, sure. Now, Ruby, where did you learn how to fight?" Asked the man in green. "S-Signal Academy" Said Ruby. "They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" Asked the man in green. "Well, one teacher in particular" Said Ruby. "I see... Where did you two learn how to fight?" Asked the man in green. "I learned from many people. He learned from me" Said Emily. "Yeah. She's the best teacher ever" Said Hope. "Alright" Said the man in green.

He puts the cookies on the table in front of Ruby, Emily and Hope. Hope and Ruby tentatively pick one up, eat them in a single bite, and then, not seeing any rebuttal, Hope and Ruby shovels the rest into her mouth.

"It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old crow..." Said the man in green. "Oh! That's my uncle! Sorry. That's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. And now, I'm all like— Hooowaaah! Witchaaaa!" Shouted Ruby, to Hope's amusement. "So I've noticed. And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?" Asked the man in green. "Wow, aren't you a creeper?" Asked Hope. "Well... I want to be a Huntress" Said Ruby. "You want to slay monsters?" Asked the man in green. "Yeah! I only have two more years of training left at Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon! You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, Hey, I might as well make a career out of it! I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool and really, gosh, you know!" Declared Ruby, causing Hope to smile. "Hum. Ruby. Have I introduced myself?" Asked Hope. "... No. But she did when she called you name out" Said Ruby. "Oh, ok" Said Hope. "Do you know who I am?" Asked the man in green. "You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster at Beacon" Said Ruby. "Wow" Said Hope. "Hello" Said Ozpin. "Nice to meet you" Said Ruby. "You three want to come to my school?" Asked Ozpin. "More than anything" Said Ruby. "Sure" Said Emily. "Well, guess I have to" Said Hope.

"Well, okay" Said Ozpin, making Ruby smile.

1 day later, on an airship

"Oh, I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!" Declared a girl in yellow and brown, as she hugged Ruby. "Yang, please stop, my friend are watching" Gasped Ruby. "Oh, sorry" Said Yang, as she let go of Ruby. "Hello, Yang. My name is Emily, and he's..." Said Emily. "Hope" Said Yang. "How do you know my name?" Asked Hope. "We met in a bar, remember?" Asked Yang. "No, not really" Said Hope. "How odd" Said Yang, as a nearby screen turned on. "Oh" Said Hope. "Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted..." Said an news person, before the screen changed to Glynda Goodwitch's face. "Hello, and welcome to Beacon!" Declared Glynda. "Who's that?" Asked Yang. "My name is Glynda Goodwitch" Said Glynda. "Oh" Said Yang. "You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world" Declared Glynda, as her face disappeared. "Oh, wow! Look, you can see Signal from up here! I guess home isn't too far after all!" Shouted Ruby. "Beacon's our home, now" Said Yang. "Well, thanks for that" Said Hope, as someone started throwing up. "Well... I guess the view isn't for everyone" Said Yang. "It was a nice moment while it lasted" Said Ruby.

"I wonder who we're gonna meet!" "Ugh, I just hope they're better than Vomit Boy" "Oh, Yang, gross! You have puke on your shoe!" "Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!" "Get-Get away! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me!" "I think we're gonna like it here"


	2. The Shining Beacon Part One

Ruby and Yang, alongside several other students, walk out of the ship and head down the paved path to the front of the school.

"Wow..." Said Hope, Yang, Ruby and Emily. "The view from Vale's got nothing on this!" Said Yang. "Vale?" Asked Hope. "It's were we all boarded the ships from" Said Yang. "Ah" Said Hope. "Ohmygosh, guys! That kid's got a collapsible staff! And she's got a fire sword! Ow! Ooww!" Shouted Ruby. "Aren't all staffs collapse?" Asked Hope. "Not the infection kind" Said Emily. "Easy there, little sister. They're just weapons" Said Yang. "'Just weapons'? They're an extension of ourselves! They're a part of us! Oh, they're so cool!" Declared Ruby. "Well, why can't you swoon over your own weapon? Aren't you happy with it?" Asked Yang, before Ruby change Crescent Rose into its scythe mode. "Of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose! I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people, but better..." Said Ruby. "That's better then making friends? No way" Said Hope. "What do you mean?" Asked Ruby. "Making friends is one of the best things anyone can ever do" Said Hope. "Well, speaking of friends... my friends are here. Gotta go catch up. 'Kay, see ya, bye!" Said Yang, as she ran off with some people. "Wait, where are you going?! Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms? I don't know what I'm doing..." Said Ruby.

Ruby falls backwards into a luggage cart, sending cases flying. Someone is standing over her.

"What are you doing?!" Asked a girl in white. "Uh, sorry" Said Ruby, as she stood up. "Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?" Asked the girl in white. "Uuhhh..." Said Ruby. "Give me that! This is Dust - mined and purified from the Schnee quarry!" Shouted the girl in white. "Dust? You people collect dust? You people need jebus" Said Hope "What are you, stupid?" Asked the girl in white. "What's your name?" "Agh! My name is Weiss!" Shouted Weiss. "Weiss? Well, White, Blanc, Shiro, Hvítur, Keʻokeʻo, Abyad, Báisè, Bílý. I honestly don't know you" Said Hope, as Emily started smelling the dust. "What... What did you just call me!?" Asked Weiss. "In order? White, white, white, white, white, white, white and white. I just did it in eight different languages" Said Hope. "Why you!" Shouted Weiss.

Emily, who had been smelling more and more of the different dusts to her face, finally sneezes, which erupts into a full-blown explosion of flame, snowflakes, and electricity right onto Weiss and Hope. The bottle she was sniffing flies over the courtyard and at the feet of a girl reading a book, who picks it up and notices the Schnee Dust Company logo on the side as she reads from a book and looks over at the scene.

"Unbelievable!" Shouted Weiss. "I'm really, really sorry" Said Emily. "Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you three a little young to be attending Beacon? This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight monsters, so... watch where you're going!" "Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!" Shouted Ruby. "It's heiress, actually. Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world" Said the girl reading a book. "Finally! Some recognition!" Declared Weiss. "Rrrrrecognition!" Declared Hope, causing Ruby to chuckle. "The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners" Said the girl with the book. "Oh, I think that means I can hit her in the face!" Declared Hope. "Honestly, it's your choice" Said the girl reading a book. "But, before I do, mind if I borrow that, and ask your name?" Asked Hope. "Ok. My name is Blake Belladonna" Said Blake. "What a nice name" Said Hope, before he took the bottle of dust from Blake, and then looked into her eyes. "You look like someone I know" Said Blake and Weiss. "Someone said my name before. Tell me my name" Said Hope. "Ryoma" Said Blake. "No, his name is Edison!" Shouted Weiss. "You're both wrong, it's Hope. But, that does disturb me. Why would I ever go by the name of a historical warlord or the man who invented electricity?" Asked Hope. Weiss then walked off. "Also, Blake?" Asked Hope. "Yes?" Asked Blake. "I'm sure you can find someone else who will replace him" Said Hope. "No. Never replace him" Said Blake. "Not replace him. And no, we haven't met before to me. I'm just old enough to know eyes like mine" Said Hope. "Ok. Maybe we should talk later" Said Blake, as Hope got out Blake's way, and she walked off. "Wow, Hope. Working your charm on the ladies already" Said Emily. "Sure, charm" Said Hope. "Perhaps we should follow them" Said Ruby. "Well, that may be a good idea" Said Hope, as he, Ruby and Emily followed the crowd.


	3. The Shining Beacon Part 2

Hope, Emily and Ruby walked into a big room, filled with people. "Wow. All these people..." Said Emily. "Yeah" Said Ruby. "Guys! Over here! I saved you a spot!" Shouted Yang, from across the room. Emily, Hope and Ruby then walked over to Yang. "How's your first day going, guys?" Asked Yang. "I tripped over a girls bags" Said Ruby. "I sneezed an explosion" Said Emily. "I defended my friends from that girls fury with a girl that was reading a book called Blake. I called that girl so many names like Blanc, Shiro, Hvítur and Keʻokeʻo" Said Hope. "You called her white multiple times?" Asked Yang. "Ouh, she's brains, brawn and sexy" Said Hope. "Yeah. I'm sometimes called the yellow ryū" Said Yang. "I'd call you my unmei no yūjin" Said Hope. "Doh hoh hoh. Aren't we a charmer?" Asked Yang. "Are they trying to mate?" Asked Ruby, as she looked at Emily. "Yep. Wait, mate?" Asked Emily. "That's the right term, right?" Asked Ruby. "No, not at all" Said Emily. "You!" Shouted Weiss. "Oh god!" Shouted Emily, before she jumped into Hope's arms. "Rello, raggy" Said Hope. "It's happening agian" Said Emily. "You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!" Shouted Weiss. "Oh, my God, you really exploded..." Said Yang. "No, she sneezed" Said Hope. "It was an accident" Said Emily, before she removed herself from Hope. Weiss then held out a book for Emily, witch she took, "What's this?" Asked Emily. "The Wonderful Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries or damages sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company product. Although not mandatory, the Schnee Family highly encourages customers to read and familiarize themselves with this easy to follow guide to Dust applications and practices in the field" Said Weiss. "That's bragging, Shiro" Said Hope. "Weiss" Said Weiss. "White?" Asked Hope. "It's Weiss" Said Weiss. "Blanc?" Asked Hope. "Weiss!" Shouted Weiss. "Hvítur?" Asked Hope. Weiss then grunted and walked away.

 _There attention is drawn to the stage, where Professor Ozpin is readying the microphone, with Glynda beside him._

"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step" Said Ozpin, before he walked away from the microphone, and Glynda took his place. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed" Said Glynda. "He seemed kind of... off" Said Yang. "It's almost like he wasn't even there" Said Ruby. "I wonder why..." Said Hope, as a blonde boy walked over to them. "Ew, vomit boy" Said Yang. "... Jaune..." Said Jaune.

10 hours later, in the ballroom

"It's like a big slumber party!" Declared Yang. "I don't think Dad would approve of all the boys, though" Said Ruby. "I know I do" Said Yang, as she looked at some hot shirtless boys play fighting, and then Jaune in a onesie, causing her to shudder. "What's that?" Asked Yang, as she looked at what Ruby was writing. "Oh, just a letter to the gang back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going" Said Ruby. "Aw, that's so cuuuute!" Said Yang, before Ruby threw a pillow at her. "Shut up! I didn't get to take my friends with me to school! It's weird not knowing anyone here!" Shouted Ruby. "What about Jaune? He's... nice! And Emily and Hope. There you go! Plus three friends! That's a three hundred percent increase! "Pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend. Back to two hundred percent increase..." Said Ruby. "There's no such things as negative friends! You just made one friend and one enemy! Look, it's only been one day. Trust me. you've got friends all around you. You just haven't met them yet" Said Yang. "Yeah, come on Ruby. You haven't met everyone in the school. So, you don't know if there enemies or friends yet" Said Hope, as he and Emily walked over in pajamas. "You two have some nice pajamas" Said Yang. "Thanks" Said Hope.

 _The group notice a candle being lighted nearby, and Blake Belladonna is seen leaning against a wall, reading her book._

"That girl..." Said Ruby. "Blake" Said Hope. "You know her?" Asked Yang. "She helped me with Blanc" Said Hope. Yang grinned. "Well, now's your chance!" Declared Yang. "Wait! What are you doing?!" Asked Ruby, as Yang grabbed Ruby's arm.

 _Blake looks over her book to see Ruby unsuccessfully struggling against Yang's grip as she leads her sister over to Blake's spot before letting go, as Hope and Emily followed them._

"Hel-looooo! I believe you two may know each other?" Asked Yang. "Aren't you... that girl that tripped over Weiss's stuff?" Asked Blake. "Uh, yeah. My name's Ruby" Said Ruby. "Okay" Said Blake. "What are you doing?" Wispered Yang. "I don't know - help me!" Wispered Ruby, as Hope sat down next to Blake, and rested his head on her shoulder. "Hey" Said Hope. "Hi" Said Blake. "Maybe this isn't the best time, but that talk we were gonna have later?" Asked Hope, as Ruby, Yang and Emily watched on, shocked. "How is he...?" Asked Ruby. "Simple. Number one rule of making friends. Don't be nervous. Number 2, you may be asking? Always act like you're there friend already" Said Hope. "We can have that talk tomorrow" Said Blake. "Hey, Blake. What's the book your reading?" Asked Emily. "Well... it's called Artesian Thief Lupan. It's about a girl with a double life, one being a crime fighter called Lupin, and a master thief called Lupan. The moral of the story is that somethings can be hidden so easily" Said Blake. "Sounds interesting" Said Hope. I love books. Yang used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes and monsters... They're one of the reasons I want to be a Huntress!" Declared Ruby. "And why is that? Hoping you'll live happily ever after?" Asked Blake. "Well, I'm hoping we all will. As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books... Someone who fought for what was right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves" Said Ruby. "That's... very ambitious for a child. Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale" Said Blake. "Well, that's why we're here! To make it better" Said Ruby. "That's true. Heroes exist to give people Hope" Said Hope. "What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?" Asked Weiss. "Great, Alkulba is here" Said Hope. "You called me white agian" Said Weiss. "Nope" Said Hope. "Guys, people are trying to sleep" Said Emily. "Oh, now you're on my side" Said Weiss. "I was always on your side. If you weren't such a verdammt hündin, you would realise that" Said Emily. Blake then blew out the candle.


	4. First Steps

Hope woke up. It was midnight. Hope then walked outside, and walked over to where they entered Beacon from. "Wow. I wonder what tomorrow holds..." Said Hope, as a girl walked over to him. "Hey" Said the girl. "Hi. What's your name?" Asked Hope. "I'm Nora Valkyrie. I just saw you leave the ballroom and figured that you needed some company" Said Nora. "Oh. Thanks. You're a really nice person" Said Hope, as he layed down on top of Nora's lap. "Thanks, um..." Said Nora. "Hope Xiao Rose" Said Hope. "Well, hello Hope" Said Nora. "Hi" Said Hope. "How was your day?" Asked Nora. "It was a very good day. I'm at Beacon, I've made a 400% increase on friends, and I smacked down a white girl with words" Said Hope. "Sounds fun" Said Nora. "It was" Said Hope. "What was her name?" Asked Nora. "Weiss Schnee" Said Hope. "The self entitled heirless who puts everyone else beneath herself? I hate people like that" Said Nora. "So do I. I think we're gonna be great friends" Said Hope.

 _The next morning_

"Wake up, Ren!" Shouted Nora, as a man opened his eyes.

 _Ren gets up with a groan as Nora hounds him._

"It's morning! It's morning! It's morning! It's morning!" Declared Nora.

 _Ren sighs again and the scene changes to him brushing his teeth in the restroom while Nora continues to talk._

"I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours! Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean, you're the perfect student and I'm... well, I'm me! But it's just crazy, you know?" Said Nora.

 _The scene changes to the ballroom, where the two are readying themselves. Nora is brushing her hair and still chattering while Ren is tightening the strings on his sleeping bag._

"We've been friends for soooooooo long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well, not "together-together..." Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you are handsome, but that'd just be weird, right?" Asked Nora.

 _The scene changes again as the two are in the middle of eating their breakfast, Nora having a pancake hanging from her mouth as she is still talking._

"Right! What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together!" Said Nora, as she slurps up the rest of her pancake. "Oohhhh! We should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No, that won't work. He has the school" Said Nora.

 _The scene changes again as the two are readying themselves in the locker room, Ren loading StormFlower and Nora still talking._

"I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal! A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth?" Asked Nora. "Nora?" Asked Ren. "Yes, Ren?" Asked Nora. "I don't think sloths make a lot of noise" Said Ren. "That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together!" Said Nora. "Come on Nora, let's go" Said Ren. "Not together-together..." Said Nora.

 _Ren heads out while a skipping Nora follows, passing Ruby Rose, Hope, Emily Dual and Yang Xiao Long as they are busy readying themselves._

"Wonder what those two are so worked up about?" Asked Hope. "Oh, who knows? So, you seem awfully chipper this morning" Said Yang. "Yep! No more awkward small talk or "getting-to-know-you" stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking" Said Ruby, as she caressed Crescent Rose. "Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together" Said Yang. "You sound like Dad! Okay, first of all, what does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!" Declared Ruby. "Wow, that's a very motivating speech" Said Hope. "But what about when we form teams?" Asked Yang. "Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something..." Said Ruby. "Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?" Asked Yang. "My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?" Asked Ruby. "What? No! Of course I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell" Said Yang. "What the-?! I don't need to 'break out of my shell'! That's absolutely-" Said Ruby. "Ridiculous! There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?

 _Jaune passes Weiss Schnee and a girl in armour as they ready themselves at their lockers._

"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself" Said Weiss. "Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may" Said Pyrrha. "Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together" Said Weiss. "Well, that sounds grand" Said Pyrrha. Great!

 _The background disappears into a thundercloud as Weiss adopts a scheming pose and manic smile in her head._

"This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now!" Declared Weiss, to herself. "You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you" Said Jaune. "You again?" Asked Weiss, annoyed. "Nice to meet you, Jaune" Said Pyrrha. "Yeah, yeah. So, Weiss, couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day" Said Jaune. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Shouted Weiss. "Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?" Asked Jaune. "Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so..." Said Pyrrha. "You don't say. Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team" Said Jaune, as Hope facepalmed in the background. "Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Asked Weiss. "Not in the slightest, snow angel" Said Jaune. "This is Pyrrha" Said Weiss "Hello again" Said Pyrrha, happily. "Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum" Said Weiss. "Never heard of it" Said Jaune. "She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!" Shouted Weiss. "The what?" Asked Jaune. "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" Shouted Weiss. "That's you?! But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters" Said Jaune. "Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you" Said Pyrrha. "So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" Asked Weiss, judgingly. "I guess not... Sorry..." Said Jaune, sadly. "Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader" Said Pyrrha. "D'oh, stop it" Said Jaune. "Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!" Shouted Weiss "Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick! Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?" Asked Jaune. "All right, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?!" Asked Weiss.

 _Jaune looks back just in time to see Miló strike him, sending the Jaune flying off the screen._

"I'm sorry!" Shouted Pyrrha.

 _An announcement plays on the intercom system_

"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately" Said Glynda.

 _Weiss passes Jaune as he hangs from the wall of a locker on her way out. Pyrrha follows her._

"It was nice meeting you" Said Pyrrha, happily. "Likewise..." Said Jaune. Hope then took Miló out of Jaune's hoodie. "Wow. This craftsmanship is amazing. I'd keep it in a glass case" Said Hope, before he walked after Pyrrha and Weiss. "Hey, Pyrrha! Pyrrha! Come on. Pyrrha!" Shouted Hope, before he caught up to Pyrrha and Weiss. "Yes?" Asked Pyrrha. "Don't talk to him" Said Weiss. "Everyone deserves a chance. Yes, sir?" Asked Pyrrha. "Oh god, no, never sir. That makes me feel old. Anyway, you forgot your spear" Said Hope, as he gave her Miló. "Oh, I did? Clumsy me. What is your name? You know mine, so it's fair that I know your name" Said Pyrrha. "It's Hope" Said Hope. "Hope... what?" Asked Pyrrha. "Most days" Said Hope, before he walked off. "He's funny" Said Pyrrha. "No he isn't!" Shouted Weiss. "Whatever, Shiro" Said Hope, making Weiss grunt.

10 minutes later, at a cliffside

"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest" Said Ozpin. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today" Said Glynda. "What? Ohhh..." Said Ruby. "Cheer up" Said Hope. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years" Said Ozpin. "Whaaaat?!" Asked Ruby. "Ok, cheer down. Especially if you get partnered with White" Said Hope. "See? I told you!" Declared Nora. "Oh, hey Nora!" Shouted Hope. "Hey, Hope!" Shouted Nora. "Pretty fun up here, right!?" Asked Hope. "Yeah!" Shouted Nora. "I'm having a good time!" Shouted Hope. "So am I!" Shouted Nora, before Hope started coughing. "You ok!?" Asked Nora. "Yeah" Said Hope. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die" Said Ozpin.

 _Jaune laughs nervously and then gulps loudly_

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" Asked Ozpin. "Yeah, um, sir?" Asked Jaune. "No questions. Alright" Said Ozpin.

 _Everyone strikes a pose on their tile. Nora crouches low, Ren wields his weapons, Yang raises her fists, Ruby readies her body, Hope puts his hands on the handles of his hookblades, Emily stretches and Jaune is still raising his hand._

"Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question. So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?" Said Jaune, as Weiss was launched. "No... You will be falling" Said Ozpin. "Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?" Asked Jaune, as more students got launched. "...No. You will be using your own landing strategy" Said Ozpin. "Uh-huh... Yeah" Said Jaune, as Nora, Ren and Emily got launched.

 _At her turn, Yang winks at her younger sister, puts on a pair of aviators, and flies off with a "Woo-hoooooooo!" a second before Ruby and joins her._

"So, what exactly is a landing strategYYY!" Shouted Jaune, as he was launched. "Yeet" Said Hope. "Well. It's your turn" Said Glynda. "Hold your breath" Said Hope, before he was launched.

 _It was a nice day. The forest was quiet. There was a cute, little bird, probably a crow flying along, aw, it's so cute! I want it!_

"Birdie, no!" Shouted Ruby, as she flew through that cute little bird, shown from multiple angles and in slow motion.

 _Ruby fires off a few rounds from Crescent Rose to slow her down, then turns the weapon into its scythe form to catch the branch of a tree in her blade and fall downward at a slower pace._

 _Weiss, armed with Myrtenaster, summons a white snowflake circle under her and leaps off of it to the forest below._

 _Ren descends and spins in the air, eventually using StormFlower's blades to spiral around the trunk of a large tree and hit the ground, brushing off his clothes before looking up to see..._

"Woo-hooo! Yeah! Ally-oop!" Shouted Yang. Suddenly, Hope grabbed onto her back. "Sorry, but I need a way down. Don't look at me though, find your own partner down there, alright?" Asked Hope. "Ok" Said Yang.

Yang, soaring right over the treetops and carrying Hope on her back, crashes through the leaves of a tree and leaps off two trunks to tumble to the ground, and Hope got off of her back. "Nailed it" Said Yang, before she ran off. "Thank you for using Yang Bang Airlines" Said Hope, as he walked off.

 _Pyrrha, her weapon in sword form and armed with a shield, crashes through several trees and rolls on a branch, immediately shifting her blade into a rifle and looking through the scope at Jaune as he continues to scream and fall helplessly. Pyrrha coolly transforms her weapon again to its spear form, takes a moment to evaluate her throw, and rockets the javelin deep into the forest until a "THUNK!" is heard_

"Thank you!" Shouted Jaune. "I'm sorry!" Shouted Pyrrha.

 _In the middle of the forest, Ruby lands in a crouch, then darts off with a single mantra in her mind._

"Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Yang, gotta find Yang, gotta find... (shouting) Yang! Yaaaang!(internally, now seeing herself partnered with various people) Oh, this is bad, this is really bad... What if I can't find her? What if someone finds her first? Well, there's always Jaune. He's nice. He's funny! ...I don't think he's very good in a fight, though. Ooh! What about Blake?! So mysterious, so calm... Plus she likes books! Then again, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold a conversation with her... Ugh! (shakes her head of daydreams) Okay... Who else do I know in this school? There's Yang, Jaune, Blake, Hope, Emily, Pyrrha aaaand..." Thought Ruby.

 _Time seems to slow down as Ruby skids to a halt in front of Weiss as she is turning to face her. She stops just in time for their eyes to meet and a pregnant pause follows. This ends when Weiss turns on her heel and walks the other way._

"Wait! Where are you going?! We're supposed to be teammates..." Said Ruby, as she kicked the ground.

 _Weiss is seen struggling through the forest, giving an occasional grunt or "Ow!" as she pushes plants out of her way. She brushes herself off and sighs in relief when she hears a voice above her._

"Come on, come on! Stupid...!" Shouted Jaune.

 _Weiss sees Jaune hanging a few feet in the air by the spear embedded in his hood and the tree behind him. As he gives up trying to pull it out, he looks down and sees Weiss, giving an embarrassed wave. Weiss simply heads back in the direction she came from and Jaune groans in dejection._

"By no means does this make us friends" Said Weiss, as she dragged Ruby by her hood. "You came back!" Shouted Ruby, with stars in her eyes. "Wait! Come back! Who's going to get me down from here?!" Asked Jaune. "Do you... have any spots left on your team?" Asked Pyrrha. "Very funny..." Said Jaune, before he smiled.

 _The scene changes to Weiss trudging through the forest, with Ruby back a ways behind her_

"What's the hurry?" Asked Ruby. "I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow! I swear, if I get a bad grade because of your— What the...?" Asked Weiss, as Ruby appeared next to her. "I'm not slow, see? You don't have to worry about me" Said Ruby. "When did...?" Asked Weiss. "Weiss, just because I don't exactly know how to deal with people doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with monsters! You're about to see a whole different side of me today, Weiss, and after it's all over, you're going to be like, Wow! That Ruby girl is really, really cool... and I wanna be her friend" Said Ruby.

 _Ruby disappears in a shower of rose petals, which Weiss waves away from her face just as she hears crackling and rustling in the bushes around her._

"You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time! Ruby? Ruby...?" Asked Weiss.

 _The camera revolves around Weiss, as multiple pairs of red eyes stare at her from the bushes and a deep growl is heard. She turns around until she spots a large, jagged Beowolf emerging from a bush and approaching her._

"Ruby!" Shouted Weiss.


	5. Deep Breath

"Helloooooooo? Is anyone out there? Helloooo?" I'm getting bored here! Is someone there? Ruby, is that you?" Asked Yang, as she looked in a bush.

 _A low, inhuman growl is heard, and Yang's head rises up as she stares at the creature._

"Nope" Said Yang.

 _Yang quickly rolls to the side as an Ursa charges out of the green. She gets up and activates her Ember Celica, staring at the monster before another Ursa runs out behind her. She leaps over it, and its companion runs at her again, only to get knocked back by a fiery punch. The other Ursa and Yang charge at each other, and Yang manages to get under it and deliver several punches and a kick to send the creature back._

"You guys wouldn't happen to have seen a girl in a red hood, would you?" Said Yang, as the Ursa growl at her. "Gee, you could just say no" Said Yang.

 _One of the Ursai stands on its legs and swipes at her twice, Yang barely dodging the attacks._

"Geeeez, you two couldn't hit the broad side of a ba..." Said Yang, before a strand of her hair fell before her eyes. "You... You monsters!" Shouted Yang.

 _An inferno surrounds Yang for a moment, and she rockets forward, unleashing a devastating combo of flaming hits and blows on the offending Ursa, making it fly through several burning trees. The other monster runs over, but stops short at Yang's gaze while a tree falls to the ground behind her._

"What! You want some, too?!" Asked Yang. Suddenly, the second Ursa was stabbed in the back by Emily. "Oh, hey. Looks like we're partners" Said Emily. "I'd guess so. You do know that..." Said Yang. "Yep" Said Emily.

Meanwhile, in another clearing

"Remember your training, Weiss. Head up, shoulders back, right foot forward — not that forward! — slow your breathing, wait for the right time to strike, and..." Thought Weiss, as she span the barrel of the revolver section. Weiss dashes forward with her loaded weapon at the Beowolf in front of her, just when Ruby suddenly appears between the two in a blur of rose petals and a swipe of her Crescent Rose scythe, landing a hit on the monster. "Gotcha!" Shouted Ruby. Weiss widens her eyes and screams as she quickly has to stop, swinging the sword in a random direction and creating a line of fire that sets a nearby tree ablaze, followed quickly by the rest of the forest around the clearing.

 _Ruby, distracted by Weiss' mess-up, is barely defended when the same Beowolf scratches at her weapon, knocking the younger girl into the heiress._

"Hey, watch it" Said Ruby. "Excuse me! You attacked out of turn. I could have killed you" Said Weiss. "Attacked out of turn? This isn't chess" Said Ruby. "... You know what chess is?" Asked Weiss. "Yes. I was the chess champion 5 years in a row back in primary school. Same with Remnent: The Game I've won 95 percent of family triva nights. Then again, we only played 20 games" Said Ruby. "Well, I'll be" Said Weiss. "You thought I was stupid? Nope, I've got a whole brain!" Declared Ruby, as she lifted up Crescent Rose with one arm, but she fell over in doing so. "You dolt!" Shouted Weiss, as Ruby stood up.

 _The duo wield their arms as the pack of Beowolves whine and growl around them. Ruby reloads her scythe just as a flaming tree falls near them._

"We have to go!" Said Weiss, before she grabbed Ruby's arm and ran off with her. They then made it up a hill a few hundred meters away. "What was that?! That should've been easy!" Shouted Ruby. "Well perhaps if you had exercised even the slightest amount of caution with the placement of your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on fire!" Shouted Weiss. "What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Ruby, "I'm just surprised someone who talks so much would communicate so little during an encounter!" Shouted Weiss "Well, I'm sorry you need my help to win a fight. I'm just fine on my own!" Shouted Ruby. "Well, congratulations on being the strongest child to sneak your way into Beacon. Bravo!" Shouted Weiss.

 _Weiss begins to walk off on her partner yet again. Ruby, with an agitated shriek, unfolds Crescent Rose, slices a tree down to the stump, refolds it back, and follows her partner as the tree crashes behind her. Neither notice the large dark feather floating onto the fallen trunk behind them. Meanwhile across the Forest, Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc are making their way through the bushes. Jaune hears a noise far away and turns his head._

"Hey. Did you hear that?" Asked Jaune. "Gunfire. It seems some of our comrades have encountered the enemy" Said Pyrrha.

 _They keep moving forward, Jaune still staring in the sound's direction as Pyrrha raises a branch to pass by and accidentally releases it right at Jaune's face, flooring him instantly._

"Jaune! I'm sorry" Said Pyrrha. "It's okay. Just a scratch" Said Jaune. "Why didn't you activate your Aura?" Asked Pyrrha. "Huh?" Asked Jaune. "Your Aura" Said Pyrrha. "Gesundheit" Said Jaune. "Jaune, do you... know what Aura is?" Asked Pyrrha. "Psch! Of course I do! Do you know what Aura is?" Asked Jaune.

P _yrrha smiles at him and gets ready to explain as the scene changes to Lie Ren's trek through the forest's tall grass._

 _"Aura is the manifestation of our soul. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts. Have you ever felt you were being watched without knowing that someone was there?" "Uh... yeah"_

 _Ren stops and narrows his eyes, looking around him while a huge black Grimm serpent rises up from the grass behind him and quickly surrounds him with its large, hissing body. Ren adopts a sighting stance as the snake coils together in front of him and attacks with its long fangs._

"With practice, our Aura can be our shield. Everyone has it, even animals" Said Pyrrha. "What about monsters?" Asked Jaune. "...No" Said Pyrrha.

S _witching back to Ren as he leaps out of the way, the snake's mouth hitting the ground and instantly coming up again to hit a jumping Ren back with its snout_

 _"The monsters we fight lack a soul. They are creatures of Grimm, the manifestation of anonymity. They are the darkness, and we are the light" "Right, that's why we fight them!" "It's not about why; it's about knowing"_

 _the snake flows around Ren and tries to bite him again, but he flips over it and drives his weapons into its head, pausing a moment without sensing serpent's white head behind him_

 _Understanding dark and light helps us manifest our Aura. Everyone has some of both._

 _Ren turns and looks up at the white head as it launches itself at him, dodging it and landing just in time to see the head slither towards him. As it gets closer, he runs at it and leaps onto the black head, sliding over its body and blasting the other head_

 _"By baring your soul outward as a force, you can deflect harm. All of our tools and equipment are conduits for Aura. You protect yourself and your soul when fighting"_

 _Ren is unprepared for the white half to hit him with its head, knocking him off as he drops his weapons, and leaving him to merely raise his arms and distantly cry "No!" to the mouth of the black head_

"It's like a force field!" Shouted Jaune. "...Yes, if you want to look at it that way" Said Pyrrha.

 _Ren is now holding the front fangs of the colossal snake in his hands, glowing a faint, pulsating pink as he grips the teeth and yanks them from the monster's mouth, causing it to flail away. It attempts to bite him again, but Ren spins to the side and stabs a fang into its eye, rotating his arm to deliver a final blow that drives the makeshift weapon into its skull, which ripples, expands, and blows apart in a dark mess as its headless body falls over its fellow creature. Wasting no time, Ren runs right at the white head._

"Now, close your eyes and concentrate" Said Pyrrha, as she touched Jaune's temples. "Uhh... Okay" Said Jaune, as he complyed. Pyrrha smiles and closes her own eyes, opening them as her skin glows and her irises shrink before shutting them again. The two stand there, now with Pyrrha glowing a faint red and Jaune a bright white. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee" Said Pyrrha, as she and Jaune glowed. "Pyrrha?" Asked Jaune, as Pyrrha removed her hands from Jaune's head. "I used my Aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own. You're aura is extremely potent" Said Pyrrha, as Jaune's cut healed. "Wow..." Said Jaune.

 _At the same time, Ren stands atop of the body of his enemy, sliding the weapons into his sleeves and brushing them off before a strange, animal-like noise is heard above him twice. He looks up and meets the upside-down eyes of Nora Valkyrie._

"I still don't think that's what a sloth sounds like..." Said Ren.

 _In response, Nora gives her friend a Boop on the nose, making him smile._

 _Meanwhile, on a cliff_

"The last pair has been formed, sir. Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren. Poor boy... I can't possibly imagine those two getting along. Still, he's probably better off than Miss Nikos. I don't care what his transcripts say. That Jaune fellow is not ready for this level of combat. I guess we'll find out soon enough. At their current pace, they should reach the temple within just a few minutes. Speaking of which, what did you use as relics this year? Professor Ozpin?" Asked Glynda.

 _Ozpin doesn't answer, watching his tablet with a contemplating interest as it shows the footage of Ruby Rose sitting in the grass and picking stray leaves while her "partner" Weiss Schnee walks in random directions_

"It's definitely this way. I mean... this way! It's definitely this way. Alright, it's official we passed it" Said Weiss, as she paced in front of Ruby. "It's ok, Weiss. We will be able to make it" Said Ruby, as she stood up. "... How do you know?" Asked Weiss. "I don't. But, I believe that we can make it. Because we're strong. And we have hope. Now, deep breath" Said Ruby. Weiss then took a deep breath. "Ok. Witch way do you think it is?" Asked Ruby. "I don't know. If we had a bird eyes view..." Said Weiss.

 _From the forest, Hope and Blake Belladonna step out into a clearing that reveals the circular stone temple, broken and decrepit but for the platforms around its inside, holding several black and gold objects._

"Hey. You think this is it?" Asked Hope. "Possibly. You think that they have multiple temples like this?" Asked Blake. "This is why we're friends" Said Hope, as he and Blake walked toward the temple. "Stone... interesting. This structure looks old. But..." Said Hope, as he rubbed the wall. "It's not covered in dust. It's both young and old" Said Blake. "And the relics are chess pieces. Some are missing" Said Hope. "Well, I guess we should pick one" Said Blake.

 _Meanwhile, Jaune and Pyrrha are standing at the mouth of a dark cave, where drawings are seen to the side involving armed men against giant beasts._

"Think this is it?" Asked Jaune.

 _The scene cuts to their walk inside the cave, Jaune holding a short, burning torch to light their way._

"I'm not sure this is it" Said Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, I made the torch. Could you at least humor me for, like, five more feet?" Asked Jaune, before he tripped over, and the torch fell into a puddle. "Do you... feel that?" Asked Pyrrha. "Soul-crushing regret?" Asked Jaune. "No, it's... warm" Said Pyrrha.

 _Back at the temple, Hope approaches one of the relics._

"Hmmmm... How about a rook?" Asked Hope, as he picked up a golden rook. "Sure" Said Blake, as she walked toward Hope. "That wasn't hard" Said Hope. "Well, it's not like this place is very difficult to find" Said Blake, as Yang and Emily walked towards them. "Oh, hey guys" Said Hope. "Hi. I'm great friends with her now" Said Emily, as she took a white rook.

 _Jaune and Pyrrha continue onward through the cave until they see a large glowing point of gold right in front of them, illuminating Jaune's excited features._

"That's the relic. Hey. Bad relic. Gotcha" Said Jaune. "Jaune...?" Asked Pyrrha.

 _Jaune's catch lowers itself so he is dangling right in front of the now-glowing red lines and eyes of a Death Stalker. Jaune's scream is heard all the way from the temple, where Yang turns towards the direction of its source._

"Some girl is in trouble! Girls, did you hear that?" Asked Yang. "I'm not a girl" Said Hope.

 _At the cave entrance, Pyrrha rushes out right before the monster crashes through the hole, roaring and waving its grass-encrusted claws as Jaune hangs from the stinger, calling from help and continuing to scream._

"Help! Whoa-ah-ah-ah-ah! Why?! Pyrrha! He-e-e-elp! Pyrrha, this is not the relic! It's not! Do something!" Screamed Jaune. "Jaune! Whatever you do, don't let" Said Pyrrha. The Grimm hurls its tail back and launches a still-screaming Jaune across the forest as she watches in dismay) "... go" Said Pyrrha. She turns back to the scorpion as it continues to snap its claws at her, and she smiles embarrassingly before turning and rushing away in a burst of green leaves.

 _Blake is still staring at something above them, but Yang is focused on the forest._

"Blake, did you hear that? What should we do?" Asked Yang. "Um, Yang?" Asked Hope, as he pointed up as a falling figure.

 _Finally, the faint-but-growing-louder scream of "Heads uuuuuuuup!" is heard when Ruby falls from the sky_


	6. Players and Peices

"Ruby! I told you this was a terrible idea!" Shouted Weiss, as she and Ruby clung onto the back of a Nevermore. "We're fine! This is just fine, this is a normal everyday situation for me!" Shouted Ruby. "It is!?" Asked Weiss. "Yes! My uncle sometimes took me to a giant fan room thing!" Shouted Ruby. "How do we get down!?" Asked Weiss. "We jump!" Shouted Ruby. "I'm not ok with the idea, but let's jump!" Shouted Weiss, only to realise that she was alone. "Oh, I hate her!" Shouted Weiss

 _Down on the ground, Blake Belladonna is still staring skyward and pointing for Yang Xiao Long to look up_

"Blake, Emily, Hope did you hear that? What should we do?" Asked Yang."Heads uuuuuuuup!" Shouted Ruby, as she fell towards the ground.

 _Just as she's about to hit the ground panicking, Jaune Arc comes flying through the air and crashes into Ruby, knocking her off course and sending them both into a tree to the left of where Blake, Hope, Emily and Yang are standing. Ruby is dazed by the rough landing_

"Oohhhh... What was that?" Asked Ruby. "Eh-hem! Hey, Ruby..." Said Jaune, who was upside down in a tree. "Did your sister just fall from the sky?" Asked Blake. "I..." Said Yang.

 _Before she can continue, several crashing noises are heard in the forest ahead of them, and an Ursa comes out, claws swiping, just as a pink blast of energy hits it in the back and it crashes to the ground, depositing its rider._

"YEEEE-HAWWWWW... Awwww... It's broken" Said Nora. "Nora! Please... Don't ever do that again..." Said Ren, as Nora disappeared with an outline of her being where she was. "Oooohh..." Said Nora, as she studied a black pawn. She suddenly grabs it, an animation of stars and her hammer symbol playing in the pink background as she dances and sings with the chess piece. "I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"

"Nora!" Shouted Ren. "Coming, Ren! Oh, hey Hope!" Shouted Nora. "Hey Nora" Said Hope. "...Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?" Asked Blake. "I..." Said Yang.

 _She is interrupted once more as a screech is heard from their right, and Pyrrha Nikos comes onto the scene as the scorpion creature uproots entire trees in its chase after her. Pyrrha narrowly dodges its giant claws and keeps on running._

"Jaune!" Shouted Pyrrha. "Pyrrha" Said Jaune. "Whoa" Said Ruby, as she starts running off of the branch and landing in a roll. "Ruby..." Said Jaune. "Ruby!" Shouted Yang. "Yang!" Shouted Ruby, as she attempted to hug Yang. "Nora!" Shouted Nora, as she came in between the two.

 _The scorpion Grimm continues to follow Pyrrha as she runs._

"Did she just run all the way here with a Death Stalker on her tail?" Asked Blake. "I'd assume so" Said Hope. "I can't take it anymore! Can everyone just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?!" Shouted Yang. "You ok, Yang? Need a hug?" Asked Hope. "No!" Shouted Yang, as Hope hugged her. "Ok... that's helping a lot" Said Yang. "Ok" Said Hope. "Umm... Yang?" Asked Ruby, as she tugged on Yang's jacket.

 _Up above, Weiss is revealed to be hanging on a talon the size of her entire body that belongs to a gigantic Nevermore._

"How could you leave me?!" Asked Weiss. "I said jump!" Shouted Ruby. "She's gonna fall" Said Blake. "She'll be fine" Said Ruby and Hope. "She's falling" Said Ren. "She'll be fine" Said Hope.

 _Jaune is finally out of the tree, panting until he looks up and grins at the sight of Weiss falling through the air, giving him the opportunity to jump off the branch with arms outstretched and catch her in a slowed-down moment._

"Just... dropping in?" Asked Jaune, romantically.

 _Weiss is speechless... and Jaune realizes why when they both look down._

"Oh, God..." Said Jaune, as they hang on to each other wide-eyed as their moment of suspension ends, their weapons flying behind them. "Oh, noooooooo- Oomph" Said Jaune, as he does a faceplant into the dirt, limbs splayed out, and serves as the perfect landing spot for Weiss as she falls into a seated position on his body. "My hero" Said Weiss. "My back..." Moaned Jaune.

 _The Death Stalker is still hunting Pyrrha, but she manages to land on her side at the feet of the heroes._

"Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together" Said Yang. "Wow. Yang, that's really negative" Said Hope. "Hope, she was probably joking" Said Emily. "I was" Said Yang. "Well, not if I can help it!" Said Ruby, as she sounds a battle cry and rushes towards the Grimm. "Ruby, wait!" Shouted Yang.

 _Ruby, still screaming, fires Crescent Rose and charges at the oncoming Death Stalker. When the two meet, the Grimm swipes Ruby away and she is knocked back._

"D-Do-Don't worry! Totally fine" Said Ruby, as Hope picked up a grey coin and a yellow coin. "Gorilla. Cheetah" Said Hope.

 _Ruby turns back to the monster and shoots it in the skull, running away from it and sheathing her scythe as the Death Stalker now goes after her._

"Ruby!" Shouted Yang, as she and Hope started running towards Ruby.

 _Ruby rushes towards Yang and Hope, but the Nevermore caws above them, flapping its wings and releasing lines of sharpened feathers with points that catch on Ruby's cape and prevent Yang from reaching her, but Hope jumps through._

"Ruby, Hope, get out of there!" Shouted Yang. "Not until I save her!" Shouted Hope.

 _The Death Stalker approaches, raising its golden stinger above a scared Ruby and heading down on the helpless girl._

"Ruby!" Shouted Yang, as Hope jumped onto the Death Stalker's tail and punched it where it's stinger and tail connects, causing the tail to go limp, inches away from Ruby. "Are you ok?" Asked Hope. "Not really, I've got a feather in my cloak" Said Ruby, as Hope sighed. "You are rash, head strong, and you don't think of any plans, and when you may, they could get someone hurt. Are we sure were not related?" Asked Hope, as he took Crescent Rose and cut the giant feather, freeing Ruby. "You're free now" Said Hope, as he lifted the remaining part of the feather out of the hood. "Thanks" Said Ruby. "Anyone could have done that. If they had to study scorpions" Said Hope, as he helped Ruby up.

 _Yang rushes up to Ruby and Hope a hug_

"So happy you're both okay" Said Yang, as Ruby forced herself out of the hug. Tears started to form on Hope's eyes. "She could have died Yang. We both know it. If I wasn't fast enough, she could of..." Said Hope. "Don't think like that. If you think like that, you could get a complex" Said Yang. "I don't like it when people go, Yang. I want all my friends to be safe, protected, unharmed" Said Hope. "That's normal" Said Yang. The two stare at each other for a moment, then look up at the Nevermore still flying overhead and roaring. "Well, time to make up an escape plan" Said Hope, as he, Ruby and Yang walked back over to the others. "Guys? That thing's circling back! What are we gonna do?" Asked Jaune. "Look, there's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us" Said Weiss. "She's right. We already have what we all came for. And me, a little more" Said Hope, as he held up the two Medels. "What are those?" Asked Nora. "Core Medels. The Gorilla Core Medel and the Cheetah Core Medel. If you find any, give them to me, ok?" Asked Hope. "I assume they look like that one" Said Ren. "Yes, but they only come in red, yellow, green, grey, blue and purple. And please, don't touch the purple ones. Just look at them. Purple Core Medels can and possibly will take over you, if you have no desire" Said Hope.

 _Ruby goes over and grabs a black rook and Jaune takes hold of a gold pawn, smiling at each other._

"Time we left" Said Ren, before throwing a red Medel at Hope, witch Hope caught. "Kujaku" Said Hope, as he put the three Medels in his pocket. "Right. Everyone. Time to go home!" Declared Hope, as he jumped onto a boulder. Everyone then starts going in the direction Hope points towards, except Blake and Yang. "What is it?" Asked Yang. "You don't think, do you?" Asked Blake. "He's kind, he's sees the good in everyone" Said Yang. "He didn't kill a single Grimm" Said Blake. "No?" Asked Yang. "None at all. He even asked me why we can't control them" Said Blake. "So, he's a pacifist?" Asked Yang. "No. He harmed that Death Stalker" Said Blake. "Hey, come on you Bumblebees!" Shouted Hope. "Ok, we're coming!" Shouted Yang. "Yeah" Said Blake.

 _An overhead shot shows that the group is heading out of the forest and into another abandoned series of structures as the Nevermore follows them from the air. They spread out when it passes above, concealing themselves behind some of the stone blocks with their allies as it perches on a high column and caws_

"Well, that's great" Said Yang.

 _Hope looks behind at the Death Stalker bursting onto the scene._

"Stay quiet. Fulły conceal yourself behind the pillars. Don't make too much sound" Said Hope, as everyone did as he said. The Death Stalker then started walking outside of the structures. "It's eyes. Jaune, Emily, Ren, Nora, Pyrrha. Try to take out it's eyes" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Ren. "Ruby, Shiro, Blake, Yang, we're going after big bird" Said Hope. "Stop calling me white" Said Weiss. "Only when I'm mad at you" Said Hope. "Hope" Said Emily, as she threw an odd looking belt at him. Hope then caught the belt. "OOO Driver... where did you find this?" Asked Hope. "In the forest" Said Emily. "Thanks. Now, go!" Declared Hope, as everyone emerged from there hiding spots, with Emily, Pyrrha, Ren, Jaune and Nora stopping to fight the Death Stalker.

 _Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang and Hope race over the ancient stone bridge, not noticing the Nevermore closing in on them until it uses its giant wings to shatter the path right in the middle._

"Well, looks like we're not going to be able to help them" Said Hope. "It's ok! We have this!" Shouted Nora, as Pyrrha got grabbed by the death stalker. "Alright!" Shouted Hope. Hope then picked up a red medel. "Condor" Said Hope. "Hope?" Asked Yang. "Yeah?" Asked Hope. "Do you think we can win?" Asked Yang. "I don't know how someone like you can doubt. Now, I just need one more medel. One red one, ok" Said Hope, as he rushed up the stairs. "Cover him" Said Blake, before Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang started shooting at the Nevermore.

 _Down below, the Death Stalker is still battling Jaune, Ren, Emily, Nora, and Pyrrha._

"We gotta move!" Shouted Emily, as they all rushed towards the Death Stalker. The Death Stalker aims a claw at Pyrrha, but she deflects it with her Akoúo shield and slashes it with her blade. The scorpion recoils and swipes at her with its other claw, but Jaune is there to deflect it with his shield, knocking it back so Pyrrha can leap over and attack its face. Ren runs up firing and gets on the stinger when it tries to hit him, shooting at the base between it and the tail while Nora fires more grenades at the attacking claws. Pyrrha hurls her javelin straight into one of the monster's ten eyes, making it throw Ren to the side. "Ren!" Shouted Nora. Ren hits the side of a stone block hard and falls to the ground, not getting back up. Emily, though, manages to stand and notice the stinger is hanging limply. "Pyrrha!" Shouted Emily. "Ok!" Shouted Pyrrha, as she raises the shield and hurls it like a discus, slicing the stinger off and causing it to fall into the Death Stalker's head as Pyrrha retrieves her rebounding shield. "Nora, nail it" Said Pyrrha. "Heads up!" Shouted Nora, as she jumps on Akoúo, Pyrrha leaps as Nora aims her blast down to give herself a maximum lift, and she smiles the entire way up before twirling down until her hammer slams its head into the stinger, driving the point through the Death Stalker's head and crushing the bridge beneath it.

 _Jaune and Pyrrha bound over the monster to the land behind it, and Nora fires up and away behind them as the monster falls to its doom. Jaune hits the ground on his back, Nora lands on her bottom, Pyrrha manages a crouched pose, and Ren simply walks over to them, panting and groaning until he just collapses. The other three get up and watch as the Nevermore is peppered with firepower._

"Come on, come on. The scanner! And Taka!" Shouted Hope, as he rushed over to the scanner and the Taka Medel. Suddenly, the Nevermore flew through some of the pillars below Hope, knocking them out of the formation, causing the whole tower to tilt. "Oh no" Said Hope, as he started running towards the Medel and Scanner. "What's happening?" Asked Ruby. "The towers collapsing. The Nevermore took out the pillars around us" Said Blake. "Hope" Said Weiss. Suddenly, Hope jumped off of the side of the tower, after the Taka Medel and the OOO Scanner. "Hope!" Shouted Yang, as her hair started to glow, and her eyes turned red. "Yang? What's happening?" Asked Weiss. "My Semibalace. Whenever I get angry, or harmed, I get stronger. This is the telltale sign" Said Yang. Suddenly, Hope, in red and black armour, flew up past Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang. "What is that?" Asked Yang. "OOO Tajador... Hope, you idiot!" Shouted Emily. Hope then flew around the Nevermore multiple times, hurting him with each pass. "Wow! He's amazing! Kick it's butt, Hope!" Shouted Nora. Hope then started firing at the Nevermore with his Taja Spinner, eventually knocking it into a cliff. Hope then landed on a bridge near the Nevermore, and placed the Taka, Kujaku, Condor, Cheetah and Gorilla Cora Medels into the Taja Spinner, and began a Giga Scanning Charge. "TAKA, KUJAKU, CONDOR, CHEETAH, GORILLA! GIN GIN GIN! GIGA SCAN!" Declared the OOO Scanner, as Hope gained a gigantic red fiery aura. Hope then flew through the Nevermore, and the ground behind it, before emerging at the top of the cliff, as the Nevermore faded into dust. Hope then struck a pose. "Wow. That was a thing" Said Yang.

A few hours later

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by Cardin Winchester!" Declared Ozpin.

 _The audience gives one more wave of ovation, while five students walk up to the stage to take their places in front of the headmaster as their faces fill the screen._

"Emily Dual. Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the pawn pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team EJNPR" Declared Ozpin. Amid the clapping, Nora laughs and gives Ren a hug. "Led by... Emily Dual!" Declared Ozpin. "Really?" Asked Emily, nervously. "Congratulations, young lady" Said Ozpin. "Thanks" Said Emily, as they walked off stage. "And finally. Blake Belladonna. Hope. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team HRWBY. Led by... Hope!" Declared Ozpin. Weiss looks to her right surprised, where Hope is surprised. "Me? Leader?" Asked Hope. "Yes. You" Said Ozpin. "Well..." Said Hope. "It's ok, Hope" Said Ruby. "I'm sure you'll be an amazing leader" Said Blake. "Thanks, guys..." Said Hope. "It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year" Said Ozpin, and Yang picked up Hope into a piggyback position.

 _The camera pans over the auditorium's structure until it escapes into the open sky and shows the scattering crescent moon amid the day's clouds before going into the night and seeing the moon through a window, providing a view to the outside for a shadowy room filled with shelves and a desk in the back, where Roman Torchwick is getting a call on his phone. The muffled conversation ends, and Roman angrily slams the phone down, sighing. He holds a cigar to his mouth and puts his symbolized lighter to the end, just as a man in a gray mask and black hood comes with a trolley. Roman holds out a collection of lien, which he places on the table and the man takes._

"Open it" Said Roman.

 _The masked man does so with a crowbar, revealing a large amount of Dust crystals of varying colors - orange, blue, white, red, green, cyan, gold, yellow, and more. Roman picks up a blue gem in his hand and looks at the loot._

"We're gonna need more men..." Said Roman.

 _The view zooms in on the map above the desk, showing Vale and various districts and areas of crossed-out locations, all leading into a specially-circled place. Beacon_


	7. First Class

_Weiss Schnee is sleeping soundly in her bed. Her eyes flutter open and she stretches her arms above herself, yawning, while Ruby Rose, dressed in a strangely-colored school uniform, creeps up on her side and suddenly blows a whistle, causing Weiss to fall off the bed_

"Good morning, team HRWBY!" Declared Ruby. "What in the world is wrong with you?" Asked Weiss. "Now that you're awake, we can officially begin our first order of business" Said Ruby, as Hope woke up. "Good morning" Said Hope. "Morning to you too, Hope" Said Ruby. "Decorating time!" Declared Yang. "Oh. We're decorating?" Asked Hope. "What?!" Asked Weiss. "We still have to unpack. Aaaand clean" Said Blake, as she opened her suitcase.

 _Weiss does not look enthusiastic, especially when Ruby knocks her back again with the blow of her whistle._

"Aaaalright! Weiss, Blake, Yang, Ruby and there ok leader, Hope have begun their first non fighting mission!" Declared Hope, as he raised his fist into the air. "Banzai!" Declared Hope, Ruby, Blake and Yang, as they turn at an angle as Weiss lays on the floor and upbeat montage music starts playing.

 _Yang places a poster of six guys in various poses named "THE ACHIEVE MEN" on her part of the room. Weiss positions the painting of the Forever Fall forest to perfection and walks away. Blake is busy putting away her books on the shelves, picking up a copy of Ninjas of Love and widening her eyes as she warily looks around before putting it back. Ruby positions Crescent Rose at an exact angle against the curtains so she can perfectly slash a diagonal portion off. A quick zoom around the room (and the repaired curtains) ends with the girls admiring their handiwork... with one problem. The beds are cramped together in the center of the floor._

"This isn't going to work" Said Weiss. "It is a bit cramped" Said Blake. "Maybe we should ditch some of our stuff..." Said Yang. "Aw, but I like your stuff... I could, you know. Make bunk beds" Said Hope "Umm, that sounds incredibly dangerous. And how does someone like you know how to make bunk beds?" Asked Weiss. "I went to high school for 5 years, starting from when I was 11. So I'm 16. In appearance, that is" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Blake. "I'll tell you girls later" Said Hope. "Allllright! Our second order of business iiiiiiiis...!" Declared Ruby, as the room spins until she lands on her bed and a book lands in her lap. "Classes..." Said Ruby, as she pulls out a pencil. "Now, we have a few classes together today. At 9, we've got to be-" Said Ruby. "What?! Did you say 9 o'clock?" Asked Weiss. "She did, Shiro" Said Hope. "It's 8:55, you dunce!" Shouted Weiss.

 _Weiss is the first rushing out of the room and down the hall, the members of HRBY and EJNPR peeking out from their doorways to look at her go._

"Go to class. I'll meet you there when I'm done here" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Ruby, Blake and Yang.

 _Ruby runs out, followed by Yang and Blake._

"Class...?" Asked Emily.

 _Emily loses his balance and ends up toppling Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren on top of her. He manages to get out from under them and start dashing._

"We're gonna be late for class!" Shouted Emily.

 _In the courtyard, Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch watch the two teams hurry through the school. Glynda looks at her watch, and Ozpin simply sips his coffee._

"Where's Hope?" Asked Glynda. "Possibly trying to impress someone" Said Ozpin. "Who?" Asked Glynda. "Himself" Said Ozpin.

10 minutes later, in Port's class

 _The sight of an axe-blunderbuss weapon pans down to the boards displaying various species of Grimm - King Taijitu, Death Stalker, Beowolf, Boarbatusk, Nevermore, and Ursa - behind an elderly teacher named Peter Port._

"Monsters! Deeeemons... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha" Said Port.

 _The members of HRWBY minus H, seated on the front row, are in varying stages of interest; Blake and Yang are sitting up and paying attention, Weiss is taking notes, and Ruby has her head propped in her hand as she takes a quick nap until she is woken back up by Port's bad joke, which receives a cricket-filled silence as a result._

"Uhhhh... And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces! And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses..." Said Port, as he gives Yang a wink, which she groans uncomfortably at. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the very world!" Declared Port. "Ayyyy-yep!" Declared a Student, before he sat down. "That is what you are training to become. But first, A story. A tale of a young, handsome man... Me! When I was a boy..." Said Port.

 _His words fade into the background and a series of "blah"s when Weiss notices Ruby is very focused on penciling the paper in front of her._

"...Despite smelling of cabbages, my grandfather was a wise man. 'Peter', he told me..." Said Port.

 _The speech evolves into more "blah"s as Ruby snickers at her creation and shows it to her teammates: A general ball-with-limbs-and-a-head drawing of the teacher with stink lines coming from him and "Professor Poop" written underneath. Blake and Yang are heard laughing, but Weiss looks annoyed._

"Ah-heh-hem! In the end, the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity, and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!" Declared Port.

 _The teacher takes a bow as Weiss slowly gets more and more frustrated with Ruby's antics._

"The moral of this story? A true Huntsman must be honorable!" Declared Port.

 _Ruby is balancing an apple on a book with her pencil held only by her finger while making a silly face._

"A true Huntsman must be dependable!" Declared Port.

 _Ruby has fallen asleep again in the first class of the year._

"A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise!" Declared Port.

 _Ruby is not-so-subtly picking her nose, much to Weiss' building anger._

"So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?" Asked Port. "I do" Said Hope, as he appeared next to Yang. "Ah. Mister Hope, I presume?" Asked Port. "Usually. Some personal call me an dolt sometimes" Said Hope, as he stood up. "You're not in the proper uniform. You're going to have to..." Said Port. "I can't honestly care. I'm not planning on changing anytime soon. And besides. I, ah, didn't actually get one" Said Hope. "A leader with such attitude. How... rare" Said Port, as he turned to gesture at the glowing red eyes surrounded by shadow shaking the cage that traps it. "Step forward, and face your opponent!" Declared Port. "Right. Well, let's do this" Said Hope, as he pointed his hookblades towards the cage.


	8. Worlds Finest

"Goooo, Hope!" Shouted Yang. "Fight well!" Shouted Blake, as she waved a small flag labeled HRWBY. "Yeah, represent teeeeam HRWBY!" Shouted Ruby. "Ah, teammates?" Asked Hope. "Yeah?" Asked Blake, Yang and Ruby. "You're cheering is kinda adding to the pressure on me to win, so could you please stop? I don't mean to be rude, but..." Said Hope. "Wow, you can't handle the pressure?" Asked Weiss. "Hush, sass monster" Said Hope. "Allllright! Let the match... begin!" Declared Port, as he took an axe off of his back.

 _The professor swings down and breaks the lock, dropping the cage door and revealing the Boarbatusk inside, which immediately charges at Hope. He rolled to the side, and continued to point his hookblades at it. The Grimm stands a distance away from its enemy, studying him._

"Ha-ha! Wasn't expecting that, were you?" Asked Port. "Actually, I was. I read all about the Grimm last night. I know everything about all the aggressive Grimm now. There are only two Grimm in the world that can fit into that small of a cage. Thank god it was a Boarbatusk" Said Hope. "I guess you're a model student then" Said Port. "Sure" Said Hope. "Hang in there, Hope!" Shouted Ruby. "Ok" Said Hope.

 _Hope is now speeding towards the Boarbatusk, sticking his hookblades straight at its skull until they meet and the two hookblades loop around the beast's tusks. Hope is pulling on the hilts_

"Bold, approach. I like it" Said Port. "Come on, Hope, show it who's boss!" Shouted Ruby. "Don't worry, I will" Said Hope.

 _Hope then put his left foot on the on the Boarbatusk's face, and lifted him up. Hope then threw the Boarbatusk into a wall, while ripping off it's tusks._

"Wow! I've never seen someone rip off a Boarbatusk's tusks before" Said Port, as some of the students in the room whispered to eachother. "Really? Wasn't that hard" Said Hope.

 _The Boarbatusk charges at Hope again, crashing into Hope, knocking him down as he let go of his Hookblades. Suddenly, the students started cheering for Hope._

"Hope! Go for its belly! There's no armor underneath it!" Shouted Ruby. "Stop cheering for him!" Snapped Weiss. "Thanks Ruby. Now, I'll end this" Said Hope, as he put on the OOO Driver. "Alright! Time to transform. Cause why not" Said Hope, as he put on the OOO Driver, and inserted the Taka, Kujaku and Cheetah Core Medels into the OOO Driver, and quickly scanned the Medels, causing three sets of six energy projection Core Medels to appear and fly around Hope. "TAKA! KUJAKU! CHEETAH!" Declared the OOO Driver, as those energy projection Core Medels stopped in front of Hope. The energy projection Core Medels then flew towards Hope's chest, changing him into Kamen Rider OOO Tajata, making the students cheer louder. "I've never seen someone command a crowd quite like this" Said Port. Suddenly, Port opened up another cage, letting lose a Beowolf. The Beowolf then tried to claw Hope, but Hope threw him at the Boarbatusk, knocking the Boarbatusk into the air. Hope then quickly jumped off of a desk, and kicked through the Boarbatusk, turning it into dust. "Wow. It has Batta and Tora... Batta and Tora!?" Asked Hope, before he removed the Kujaku and Cheetah Core Medels from the belt, and replaced them with the Tora and Batta Core Medels, before scanning them. "TAKA! TORA! BATTA! TATOBA! TATOBA, TATOBA!" Declared the OOO Driver, as Hope transformed into OOO Tatoba. Hope then quickly preformed the Tatoba Scanning Charge, destroying the Beowolf, and taking a Core Medel from the ensuing explosion. "And to quote handy bird, that was a nice profit. Interesting. Sai" Said Hope. Hope then canceled his transformation. "Bravo! Bra-vo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Hunter-in-training!I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... stay vigilant! Class dismissed! Except for you, sir Hope. I need to talk with you" Said Port. "OOOOOHHHHHH, HE IN TROUBLE!" Shouted a student. "Shuddup!" Shouted Hope.

 _Weiss glares at Hope and turns away, walking hurriedly to the exit past her teammates._

"Sheesh, what's with her?" Asked Jaune. "She's jealous" Said Hope. "Of what?" Asked Emily. "My position on our team" Said Hope.

 _The remaining members of team RWBY look at each other, worryingly, before leaving with EJNPR, before Emily saw Weiss, and walked after her._

"Weiss" Said Emily. "What?" Asked Weiss, as she turned around. "What's wrong with you? Why are you being-?" Asked Emily "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You're a nuisance!" Shouted Weiss. "What did I do?" Asked Emily. "You snuck your way into Beacon! With those Hope and Ruby people! Honestly, I hate people like you!" Shouted Weiss. "People like me!? Says you! You're one of those people who think there above everyone!" Shouted Emily. Suddenly, Weiss shoved Emily. "Now who's above..." Said Weiss. Suddenly, Hope punched Weiss in the face, knocking her down. "Emily. Remember that time, when I made the cob salad, and everyone was like, 'Damn Hope, your cob salad is the best?' I remember. It was the day that I finally realized, I was good at making cob salads. And then everyone came to my birthday party and said that I was the best. I was only ten at the time- I know what you're thinking, 'A ten year old making cob salads? That's crazy! That's nuts!' There's no nuts in a cob salad... Or is there? I don't know, 'cause I've never actually made a cob salad. I was lying to you all this time. That was a lesson in not believing everything you hear. You know what I'm saying? 'Cause I don't anymore. Where are we going!? Lemme tell you where. Maybe it's the pizza guy. Maybe we ordered pizza all the way up in the woods, and he was like, "I'm not going all the way up there." And then you didn't tip him, and now he's like, you're all dead" Said Hope, as he helped Emily up. "You ok?" Asked Hope. "She just pushed me over" Said Emily. "I know. I do care about you though. So, yee ok?" Asked Hope. "Yes" Said Emily, as she walked away. "And as for you, Shiro" Said Hope, as he picked Weiss up. "You're a thug!" Shouted Weiss. "And who caused that?" Asked Hope. "She..." Said Weiss. "You did! You harmed my friend. Never harm my friends. That's the quickest way to become an enemy" Said Hope. "So!? She attacked me first!" Shouted Weiss. "I'm talking to you calmly. I'd rather that you keep your spiddle to yourself" Said Hope. "Well, a brute..." Said Weiss. "No, not a brute. A Hope. Brutes are aliens in a game I play. White, I'm trying to tell you, that pretending to be the best can get you nowhere. Don't act like everything's beneath you because of the legacy of the Snchee's. Forge your own path. Cut through, make your own legend." Said Hope, before he let go of Weiss, and walked away. "He's right... In a way, he's right" Said Weiss.

 _The full moon shines over the green lights of Beacon, and in the room of team HRWBY, the door opens and Weiss' shadow is seen against the hall's light. Blake is sleeping under the covers, Yang is spread out on her bed and snoring, as is Ruby, and Hope is sleeping on his mattress, she finds him with her head resting on notes, and open books all around him. Weiss, looking amazed at the amount of work Hope has done, clears her throat and gently shakes him awake_

"Lightning? No... Weiss? What are you..." Said Hope

 _Weiss places a hand over Hope's mouth and puts a finger to her own so Hope understands the need for lowering her voice. Weiss looks near Hope's pillow and spots an empty Beacon coffee mug._

"How do you take your coffee?" Asked Weiss. "Ask again when I actually drink it" Said Hope. "What was in there then?" Asked Weiss. "Something called Aided Lemon. Cherry flavour" Said Hope. "Made by the Snows" Said Weiss. "Heh. Snows. That's funny, Weiss" Said Hope. "You called me Weiss" Said Weiss. "Yeah. You're not my enemy" Said Hope. "Thanks, Hope" Said Weiss. "Don't thank me. You've accepted the fact that you're going to carve your own legend. Have fun with that. I'm going to sleep. And as your leader, I semi order you to go to sleep within an hour" Said Hope. "Aye aye, leader" Said Weiss, before Hope went to sleep. "Good night, Hoffnung" Said Weiss.


	9. Jaundice Part One

_Cardin Winchester with his mace perched on his shoulder and Jaune Arc opposite him with Crocea Mors drawn, leaning on his weapon as if exhausted, in the spotlight shining on the Beacon Academy auditorium stage. He looks at Cardin, who laughs at his opponent's tiredness, and Jaune gathers his strength to charge forward and swing his blade at Cardin, only for him to jump out of the way. Jaune looks back, surprised, as Cardin's mace sends Jaune's shield - and himself - flying back. Now only armed with his sword, Jaune continued to try and attack, but is blocked by the mace's hilt. Their weapons locked, Cardin forces himself up, towering over a struggling Jaune._

"This is the part where you lose" Said Cardin. "Over my dead-!" Shouted Jaune.

 _Jaune is cut short as Cardin knees him in the gut, making Jaune drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. Cardin raises his mace and is about to slam it down on a worried Jaune just when the buzzer rings, the lights come back on, and Glynda Goodwitch's voice causes him to stop._

"Cardin, that's enough!" Said Glynda, as Cardin relents and walks away before comes onto the stage, tapping her tablet. "Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's Aura has now dropped into the red. In a tournament-styled duel, this would indicate that Jaune is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match" Said Glynda, while Jaune still lays on the floor in defeat and Pyrrha Nikos looks sad, Glynda turns her head to look at the losing warrior as he pulls out a smaller tablet with his low, blinking stats and that of his entire team. "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack, or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf, now, would we?" Said Glynda. "Speak for yourself..." Said Cardin, as Yang Xiao Long, punching the air in anticipation; Weiss Schnee, shaking her fists with an excited smile; and Ruby Rose, shaking her entire body with enthusiastic energy while squealing softly, Blake reading a book, and Hope looking normal. "Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale" Said Glynda.

 _The bell rings, and students start leaving while Pyrrha continues to frown sadly. Jaune, still sitting on the floor, hangs his head in shame_

1 hour later

 _Nora Valkyrie's turquoise eyes as she tells an unbelievable story to her audience.._

"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..." Said Nora "It was day" Said Ren. "We were surrounded by Ursai..." Said Nora. "Beowolves" Said Ren. "Dozens of them!" Shouted Nora. "Two of 'em" Said Ren. "Shut up, Ren, this is a good story. Go on, Nora" Said Hope. "Alright. But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!" Shouted Nora. "Wow. That was amazing. I wish I was there" Said Hope. "Jaune? Are you okay?" Asked Pyrrha. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?" Asked Jaune. "It's just that you seem a little... not okay..." Said Ruby, as the others stop their distractions and stare at him. "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look" Said Jaune, as he holds up a thumb while laughing nervously.

 _Jaune's attention is focused on the members of Team CRDL, standing around a girl with brown rabbit ears jutting from her hair as Cardin laughs at her and Sky Lark holds up his hands to his head in a mock interpretation of her unusual features_

"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school" Said Pyrrha. "Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah... He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes" Said Jaune. "He's a bully" Said Ruby. "Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me" Said Jaune. Suddenly, Hope dropped a book, taking up the full width of the table, and about a 1/8 of it's length onto the table, causing all of the plates on it to rumble. Hope then blew some dust off of the cover, and opened it to a page marked Day 39: Yesterday. "Shall we begin?" Asked Hope,

 _Jaune is seen on the way to class as Cardin is going the other way down the hall. When the two pass, Cardin knocks his arm into Jaune and makes him drop his book, then continuing on his way with his hands out as if daring anyone to challenge him. "Ah, come on!" Shouted Jaune._

"So? He was just kidding around" Said Jaune. Hope then goes back to a page called Day 10.

 _Jaune and Cardin are about to pass through a doorway, but Cardin clicks on Jaune's sheath and extends it into its shield form as he's going out, causing him to run into his own defense and have it block the exit. "Come on..." Said Jaune._

"Still just kidding around, he's a kidder" Said Jaune. Hope then goes back to a page called Day 1. "Jaune, really, stop" Said Hope.

 _Glynda is in the locker room with several students, gesturing at the devices. "Each of you will be assigned one rocket-propelled locker to store your weapons and extra armor. Additionally, your locker can be sent to a custom location based on a six-digit code" Said Glynda. Hearing this, Cardin looks at Jaune - standing between him and the only open locker in the room - and the cliché plays itself out as Cardin quickly pushes a shocked Jaune into the small dark space and closes the door on him, pressing random buttons on the pad right after that. "What?! No, wait, wait! You've gotta get me out of here! Please! Don't! Don't! Don't do it!" Shouted Jaune. It's too late to protest when the locker scrunches down and launches up with a burst of blue fire coming from its base. Cardin watches as the locker slowly soars across the sky. "Ahhh, coooome oooooooon...!" Shouted Jaune. "God, I hope he's not part of my team" Said Hope and Emily._

 _The others are totally focused on him now._

"I didn't land far from the school" Said Jaune. "Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask" Said Pyrrha. "Ooooh!" Declared Nora, as she gets up from the table and presents her diabolical plan with a not-entirely-sane grin. "We'll ask him politely to stop! And or break his legs!" Declared Nora. "I think I can agree with this" Said Hope. "Yeah, let's do it!" Declared Nora. "Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone"

 _They all looks over as the laughing grows louder, mixed in with cries of pain from the rabbit girl when one of her ears are tugged on by Cardin_

"Ow! That hurts! Please, stop..." Said the rabbit girl, as Cardin continues laughing as he turns to his cronies. "I told you they was real" Said Cardin. "What a freak" Said Russel. "Atrocious. I can't stand people like him" Said Pyrrha. "He's not the only one..." Said Blake. "It must be hard to be a Faunus" Said Yang. "Hey, guys. Where's Hope?" Asked Emily. Suddenly, Hope had one of his hookblades's hooks around Cardin's neck and a shin in his back, holding him in place while choking him. "So, please guys. Do tell me. Why bully her? Hum? Why?" Asked Hope. "We weren't bullying her. She loves it" Said Sky. "... So, not only are you bullys, but you're also liers. Madame, these people. There not your friends, are you?" Asked Hope. "No, they are not" Said the rabbit girl, through her tears. "Hey. It's ok, madame. I'm not like them. Tell you what. Come back here after the rest of your classes, and we'll have a nice chat about our lives and stuff" Said Hope. "Ok" Said the rabbit girl. "Now, I shall admit, it could get quite violent. So, I recommend that you hide over on that table with my friends. The one reading the book is a very nice person, so please make friends with her. She knows how it feels" Said Hope, with a wink. "Ok. My name is Velvet, by the way" Said Velvet. "Well. My name is Hope. And you're the most amazing person I know" Said Hope, before Velvet walked over to Hope's friends. "Now..." Said Hope, before he moved the hookblades and kicked Cardin over to his team. "You think it's ok to do that!? To harm someone, something, anything, because it's different!?" Asked Hope. "He's never yelled before" Said Emily. "What?" Asked Ruby. "He's never yelled. Even to a evil god" Said Emily. "He's met a god?" Asked Ruby. "We both have. In a way" Said Emily. "The one flaw in white humanity. You can't stand somethings new. So, you go ahead and drag it down, instead of accepting it! I mean, come on! So what if someone has rabbit ears, antlers, a tail, pincers or a stinger!? They're still people! Ok, maybe you only fear there potential. Maybe one day they'll rise up and kill all humans. But that wouldn't happen if it wasn't for people like you! And by the way, you have not only pressed my berserk button, you have jammed it!" Shouted Hope. "Get him" Said Cardin, as team CRDL charged towards Hope. Hope quickly jumped over them, and punched Russel and Sky in the temples, knocking them out. "So, who wants the next turn?" Asked Hope. Dove quickly unleashed a combo of kicks and punches at Hope, only for Hope to block them or dodge them, until he grabbed a kick and lifted Dove up, only to drop him crotch first onto his knee. Hope then did a jumping back kick to Dove's throat, knocking him to the ground coughing. "Just you and me, Carbon" Said Hope. Cardin then picked up and threw a lunch table at Hope. "Not so tough, are you?" Asked Cardin. Suddenly, Hope, from behind Cardin, kicked him in the back. "What!?" Asked Cardin. "To quote a blue hedgehog, you're too slow" Said Hope, before he punched Cardin in the face, knocking him out. "Lightweights" Said Hope, as a bell rang. "Next class" Said Ruby.


	10. Jaundice Part 2

A uniformed, sleeping Jaune Arc with his head resting in his hands while a constantly-zooming and fast-talking Professor Bartholomew Oobleck is in the middle of his hyperactive lecture, educating Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Pyrrha Nikos, Velvet Scarlatina, Hope and Emily.

"This is prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War!" Declared Oobleck, as he zooms up to the front of the class and the map covered in papers behind his desk. "Humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie!" Declared Oobleck, as he points at the map of said-area with his stick, then zooms off to the side for a sip of his coffee before appearing in front of the desk. "Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" Declared Oobleck, as he zooms around the classroom more, sipping his coffee again before continuing to zoom and talk. "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" Asked Oobleck.

Some of the silhouetted students raise their hands. Velvet, after a moment, does the same.

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" Declared Oobleck, as he takes another sip of his coffee. "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scallions can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?" Asked Oobleck, as a hand is raised. "Yes?" Asked Oobleck. "The battle of Fort Castle. Yeah. Pretty sure that was a turning point" Said Hope. "Precisely! And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?" Asked Oobleck, as he took another sip of his GOD DAMM COFFEE.

Unseen by the professor, Hope accidentally knocks one of his books over, onto Jaune's head, causing him to wake up.

"Hey" Said Jaune. "Sorry" Wispered Hope. "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?" Asked Oobleck. "Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... of the Faunus..." Stuttered Jaune, as he looks behind Oobleck's focused face at Pyrrha, who coughs and motions to her lips as she gives him the answer. "...had over that guy's stuff..." Stuttered Jaune, as he sees Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and goes for the most obvious answer. "Uhh... Binoculars!" Declared Jaune.

While Jaune looks pleased with his answer, the class laughs at him and Oobleck back at the front of the class sips his coffee. Pyrrha sighs and slaps a hand to her forehead.

"Very funny, Mr. Arc! Emily! Do you know the actual answer?" Asked Oobleck. "Oh, ah, me? Well, um, it's because of, um, the Faunus have near perfect sight in the dark..." Said Emily, nervously. "And General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured" Said Blake. "Thanks Blake" Wispered Emily. "Correct, the both of you! Now, class is over. But, could Emily and Jaune Arc stay behind?" Asked Oobleck, as he TOOK ANOTHER SIP OF HIS GOD DAMM COFFEE! SERIOUSLY! THIS IS LIKE ALCOHOL ADDICTION, BUT MORE HEART BEATY.

When the lesson ends, Pyrrha, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren and Hope come out of the classroom, only for Pyrrha and Hope to stop near the doorway.

"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune" Said Pyrrha. "And I'll wait for Emily" Said Hope, as they look back as the after-class talk occurs to the two members of EJNPR.

"You two have been struggling in my class since day one of this class. Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest for you, mister Arc, or just your, Emily, nervousness, which, after some asking around in the teachers room, is only in my and professor Goodwitch's classes" Said Oobleck, as he takes a long sip of his coffee. "It stops now, ok? You've both worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentleman and gentlelady! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along" Said Oobleck.

With that, he zooms out of the classroom and past a waiting Pyrrha in a green and white blur. Jaune comes out first, and Emily behind him. Emily suddenly gets and idea, and runs off, grabbing Jaune's arm and dragging him with her.

"... Well, that just sorta happened to us, I mean, we didn't even participate in that" Said Hope. "It was sort of cool though" Said Pyrrha. "... Sure, if you love watching people run away" Said Hope.

A dejected Jaune and Emily come onto a rooftop of one of the buildings, with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the central tower of Beacon.

"Emily, I know we're going through hard times right now, but I'm not that depressed" Said Jaune. "Oh, no no no no no! Don't jump, do not jump Jaune!" Shouted Emily, as she pulled him away from the edge. "So, why'd you bring me up here then?" Asked Jaune. "Because. I think we can help each other" Said Emily. "How so?" Asked Jaune. "I could help you train, and you can make me more confident!" Declared Emily. "Emily, I need to tell you something" Said Jaune. "... What is it?" Asked Emily. "I kinda snuck into Beacon..." Said Jaune. "Hey, congrats, so did I. Although, I did it legally" Said Emily. "What do you mean?" Asked Jaune. "Who cares? You're in now. Weather it was the right way or not. Basically, Warera omou, yue ni warera ari" Said Emily. "Warera omu, you knee warera ari?" Asked Jaune. "Oh, yeah, sorry. We think, therefore we are" Said Emily. "What does it mean?" Asked Jaune. "Train me to be a confident person, and I'll tell you" Said Emily. "...Well, nobody can teach someone to be confident. But, someone can be taught to remain calm, no matter what" Said Jaune. "Ah. So I don't need to be confident, but calm?" Asked Emily. "Yes. So what does we think, therefore we are mean?" Asked Jaune. "Heh heh heh. Cogito ergo sum, Jaune. Cogito ergo sum. Now, go get some rest. It's almost lights out" Said Emily, as Jaune went to leave. "Hey, Emily" Said Jaune. "Yeah?" Asked Emily. "You're a good leader" Said Jaune. "... Sure" Said Emily, as Jaune left, and she sat down. "You know, I wouldn't expect to find you up here" Said Hope, as he sat down next to Emily. "Well, it's not like I wanted to be up here. But Oobleck talked to me and I just desided to take Jaune up here. He's teaching me to be calmer, and I'm teaching him how to fight now" Said Emily. "Well, a happy ending then" Said Hope. "Yeah, definitely" Said Emily. "That's a first" Said Hope.


	11. Judgement

An overview of the streets of Vale being decorated in time for the Vytal Festival. Red, yellow, and green streamers and balloons are proudly on display, and Team HRWBY is strolling through it all with an awed Weiss Schnee in the front. A sign is being put up by the elderly Shopkeep that reads in bright red letters "WELCOME TO VALE!" for all the foreign newcomers from their respective kingdoms of Remnant.

"The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!" Said Weiss. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss. It's kinda weirding me out..." Said Ruby. "How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!" Exclaimed Weiss. "Sounds like New Years" Said Hope. "New Years?" Asked Weiss. "Yeah. It's, um... I dunno how too describe it" Said Hope. "Hope, we have New Years" Said Blake. "I assumed, I just wondered if you celebrated it" Said Hope. "Anyway, remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?" Asked Yang. "Ugh, they smell like fish!" Exclaimed Ruby. "Well, they wouldn't be docks otherwise" Said Hope. "I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And, as a representative of Beacon, I feel as though it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom!" Declared Weiss. "She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament" Said Blake. "You can't prove that!" Shouted Weiss, as Hope held up a white diary. "Dear Diary. Tomorrow, I'm going to have to make a choice, to either make the team go to the docks and stealth it as a solemn duty thing while I spy on our opponents, or we stay at Beacon. Lol, I'm a Snchee, I don't have to think about this, spying it is!" Read Hope, before he closed the diary and gave it to Weiss. "Um... I don't know how too feel about that" Said Weiss. "I'll stop reading it next week..." Said Hope. "Whoa" Said Ruby, as the team looks at a shattered window down the street and a door full of yellow caution tape of the Vale Police Force before walking over to the detective in front, who is writing on his pad. "What happened here?" Asked Hope. "Robbery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle" Said Detective 1. "Hey, um, mind if I look around?" Asked Hope. "Oh, um, yeah sure. Go ahead" Said Detective 2. Hope then stepped into the store, and stuck 1 probe into each corner of the room. "Ok. Four hostiles, each one using a pump action QTSS. Another with a Cane Bazooka. The shopkeeper, held at gunpoint, told them they could take anything. Shopkeeper was 60, and was suffering from a kind of joint lock disease, maybe a variation of arthritis... You guys have arthritis, right?" Asked Hope. "... How are you doing all of this?" Asked Detective 1. "Magic. Or extremely advanced technology. B, not A. Now... they demanded the dust, which the man complied. I mean, 60 and your joints having the potential to stop moving at any second, I mean. You're kinda forced to comply. He also gave them a free magazine. They took it, and as they left, the man with the, and I'll con it, Canezooka, shot at the building as possibly a warning... interesting" Said Hope. "What is?" Asked Detective 2 and Ruby. "A man, about 18, appeared in the shop and protected the man from the explosions. Then he turned into... OOO" Said Hope. "So? Can you identify the perps?" Asked Detective 1. "Well, they were all masked, you know? Professional thief clothes. But..." Said Hope, as he picked up a tuff of fur. "Bear fur..." Said Hope. "You thinking the White Fang?" Asked Detective 1. "The White What?" Asked Hope, as he rejoined his friends. "Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough" Said Detective 2. "That explains nothing..." Said Hope. "Hmph! The White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates!" Declared Weiss. "What's your problem?" Asked Blake. "My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane" Said Weiss. "The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus" Said Blake, seriously. "Misguided? They want to wipe Humanity off the face of the planet!" Declared Weiss. "Stop it, you two..." Said Hope, sternly. "Hey, stop that Faunus!" Shouted a Sailor.

As the team overhears the cry for help and rush over to investigate, a Faunus with a golden monkey tail named is seen running down the length of the boat and leaping on to the edge as the two sailors are about to apprehend him.

"Thanks for the ride, guys! Haha!" Exclaimed the Faunus. "You no-good stowaway!" Exclaimed a Sailor, as the Faunus used his tail to hang on a lamppost while he peels back a banana "Hey! A no-good stowaway would've been caught! I'm a great stowaway!" Said the Faunus before he eats, as one of the detectives down below throws a stone at him to get his attention. "Hey! Get down from there this instant!" Exclaimed Detective 1.

Sun drops the banana peel on the detective's face, who growls in return. The monkey-like Faunus twirls up to crouch on the lamppost, laughs in amusement, and proceeds to leap off and run away from the detectives. As he runs past Team RWBY, he winks at an astonished Blake in slow motion before time speeds up again and he continues to be chased by the officers.

"Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes..." Said Yang. "Too spaceeeeeeeeeeee" Said Hope. "You're quite funny" Said Yang. "Thanks" Said Hope. "Quick! We have to observe him!" Declared Weiss. "Well, that's not creepy" Said Hope, as Weiss, Yang, and Ruby give chase. Blake stands still, lost in thought. "Blake. You ok?" Asked Hope. "Oh, what? Sorry" Said Blake.

Hope and Blake go to follow there friends. The team rounds the next corner, but then Weiss bumps into someone and trips. She looks up only to see Sun jump on to a building and disappear from her view.

"No, he got away!" Exclaimed Weiss.

"Uhh... Weiss?" Said Yang, as she points strangely at the girl underneath her teammate

Weiss finally sees that she fell on a smiling girl, which startles the heiress and she hastily gets up.

"Sal-u-ta-tions!" Declared the girl. "Um... hello" Said Ruby. "Are you... okay?" Asked Yang. "I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking" Said the girl. "Do you... wanna get up?" Asked Yang. "... Yes!" Said the girl, as she leaps back on her feet while the team steps back a little. "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!" Exclaimed Penny. "Hi Penny. I'm Ruby" Said Ruby. "I'm Weiss" Said Weiss. "Blake" Said Blake. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head? Oh, I'm Yang, by the way" Said Yang. "And I'm Hope" Said Hope. "It's a pleasure to meet you all" Said Penny. "You already said that" Said Weiss. "... No she didn't" Said Hope. "Well, sorry for running into you" Said Weiss, as they turn around and start walking away. "Take care, friend" Said Hope. "She was... weird..." Said Yang. "Not weird. Possibly really happy. She sees the positive, never the negative" Said Hope, as Penny suddenly appeared in front of a surprised Weiss) "What did you call me?" Asked Penny, as Weiss looks back and forth in shock and Yang looks apologetic. "Oh, I'm really sorry, I definitely didn't think you heard me!" Exclaimed Yang. "No, not you. The boy" Said Penny. "Me? I-I don't know. I, what I, um, uh..." Stuttered Hope. "You called me 'friend'! Am I really your friend?" Asked Penny. "Yeah!" Exclaimed Hope. "Sen-sational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys!... if you want to talk about cute boys" Said Penny. "It's ok, we can talk about anything" Said Hope. "So... what are you doing in Vale?" Asked Yang. "I'm here to fight in the tournament" Said Penny. "Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?" Asked Weiss. "I'm combat ready!" Exclaimed Penny. "And adorable" Said Hope. "Forgive me, but you hardly look the part" Said Weiss. "Says the girl wearing a dress" Said Blake. "It's a combat skirt!" Exclaimed Weiss. "No, it's a expensive dress. Possibly modified" Said Hope. "Hush Hope... Wait a minute. If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion?" Asked Weiss. "The who...?" Asked Penny. "Penny, you don't need too answer her questions..." Said Hope. "The filthy Faunus from the boat!" Exclaimed Weiss. "Why do you keep saying that?!" Asked Blake. "Huh?" Asked Weiss. "Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!" Shouted Blake. "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamppost as a lamppost?" Asked Weiss. "Stop it!" Shouted Blake. "Stop what? He clearly broke the law. Give him time; he'll probably join up with those other Faunus in the White Fang!" Shouted Weiss. "You ignorant little brat!" Shouted Blake.

Weiss looks offended, but when Blake walks away, she follows

"How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!" Shouted Weiss. "You are a judgmental little girl" Said Blake. "What in the world makes you say that?" Asked Weiss. "The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with a terrorist group solely based on his species makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be!" Shouted Blake. "Um, I think we should probably go..." Said Yang. "Where are we going?" Asked Penny. "... Home" Said Hope, defeated. "So you admit it! The White Fang is just a radical group of terrorists!" Shouted Weiss. "That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Shouted Blake.

As Yang, Hope and Ruby continue to observe, the scene shifts from afternoon near the docks to nighttime in their dormroom.

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!" Shouted Weiss "That is the problem!" Shouted Blake "You realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!" Shouted Weiss. "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate Humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like you, that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!" Shouted Blake. "People like me?" Asked Weiss. "You're discriminatory!" Shouted Blake. "I'm a victim!" Shouted Weiss, as they stare each other down in silence, Weiss leans in close, leering as she speaks quietly. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" Asked Weiss. "Because you haven't tried?" Asked Hope, as Weiss started leaning against the bookshelf by the window. "It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood" Said Weiss, as she bangs her fist on the bookshelf. "So? That..." Said Hope. "No!" Shouted Weiss, as she turns away and walks back over to Blake. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!" Shouted Weiss. "Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Shouted Blake.

Silence drops down on the scene again. A surprised Weiss backs away slowly, and Blake realizes her mistake as she looks around at her teammates.

"I... I..." Stuttered Blake, before she ran out the door. "Blake! Blake! Shiro! See where being a snob gets you!?" Asked Hope, as he walked out the door.

Blake runs outside and arrives at a statue of an armored man with a sword and a hooded woman wielding an axe on an outcropping, staring at the Beowolf under the stone heroes in particular. She closes her eyes and slowly lifts her arms up to her bow and pulls the string to release the bow from her hair. She wipes away a tear away as the camera pulls up to reveal her Faunus ears. On the verge of crying, she becomes startled when she hears a voice above her.

"It's been a while, sis" Said a voice.

She turns around and looks up.

The scene shifts to morning at Beacon. Ruby wakes up from her beauty sleep, yawning in the process. She looks over at Blake's empty bunk, and groans sadly.

The scene then shifts again to Ruby, Weiss, Hope and Yang walking through the empty streets of Vale.

"She's been gone all weekend..." Said Ruby. "Yeah, I wonder why" Said Hope. "Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle herself" Said Weiss. "Weiss, come on. She's one of our teammates" Said Yang. "Is she? We all heard what she said" Said Weiss. "Shut it, Weiss. This is your fault. Either you stay silent, or your the next missing" Said Hope, sternly. "A member of the White Fang! Right underneath our noses" Said Weiss. "Do you not understand what you have done!? You three go back to Beacon. I'll find Blake" Said Hope. "But what if she..." Said Yang. "Now!" Shouted Hope.

Elsewhere, Blake is sipping a cup of tea and sighing. She looks up, and Blake puts her cup down.

"So, who are you, and why do you call me sis?" Asked Blake. "Well, because. I'm from Japan..." Said the man, as it shows that it's Hope, but he has red and white hair. "... Oh, and another dimension" Said Hope.


	12. The Redeeming Factor is

_The view of the balcony café in the middle of Vale where red and white haired Hope and Blake Belladonna were seen drinking tea._

"But, why do you look like Hope?" Asked Blake. "Because. I am Hope. Right down to the chromosomes and illnesses" Said Hope. "Hope, you're sick?" Asked Blake. "No, but that's not the point. Tell me. I never learned about the White Fang. What are they?" Asked Hope. "... You could almost say I was born into it..." Said Blake.

 _The scene shifts to a simple silhouetted flashback of fallen weapons plunged into the ground - swords, guns, any number of combinations._

 _"Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between Humans and the Faunus"_

 _The audience is shown the dark outlines of two trios - animal-eared and tailed Faunus on one side, regular Humans on the other - shaking hands and making peace after their struggle. This does not last long, as seen by a white Faunus cowering in fear of the gray-and-black aggressors harassing the hybrid. Later, more Faunus are pushing the crowd away from their bullied brethren._

 _"Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunus were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there"_

 _Silhouettes of Faunus protestors are revealed, and emerging from the shadows is a young girl with dark hair and cat ears._

 _"I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist"_

 _Cutting from the child version of Blake, the blue flag of a white wolf with sad eyes and a circle behind its head is lowered, and raised in its stead is a red monster with three bloody scratches and teeth bared at the world._

 _"Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking"_

 _A quick series of images are shown - Faunus replacing their picket signs with axes and blades, windows being broken, thieves leaping on trains to steal their cargo._

 _"Adem, right?" "How do you know about Adem?" "Japan, another dimension, and the future. Yeah" "Um, anyway. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labor. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect... out of fear"_

 _The flashback shows one more image of three Faunus individuals standing in a dominating manner with malicious grins until Blake puts down her teacup in front of Hope._

"So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am: a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow. But you found that out yourself. How did you find out, back in the forest?" Asked Blake. "I'm smart, remember? Nobody wears a bow all the time. I asked, and you answered. And about... some weeks later, you adopted. Didn't become a Belladonna though. No, I choose the... critically hated by Internet name, wait for it... Xiao Rose" Said Hope. "Hope Xiao Rose? Interesting. Why?" Asked Blake. "Because. I wanted to honour a great man" Said Hope. "Who?" Asked Blake. "A magician never reviles his secrets, so why shall I?" Asked Hope.

Meanwhile, in another part of Vale

"Blaaaake! Blaaaake!" Shouted Hope. "Blaaaaaaaake! Where aaaare yoooouuuu!?" Asked Hope. "And I think Weiss' hair looks wonderful today" Said Penny. "I'm Hope, Penny" Said Hope. "... So you are. What are you up to?" Asked Penny. "I'm looking for Blake" Said Hope. "Ooooh, you mean the Faunus girl" Said Penny. "Wait, how did you know that?" Asked Hope. "Uhh, the cat ears?" Asked Penny. "Oh, you noticed the bow?" Asked Hope. "Yeah. But she ran away after Weiss weissed her" Said Hope. "That's terrible! Well, don't you worry Hope, my friend! I won't rest until we find your teammate!... What is weissing?" Asked Penny. "Being a jerk" Said Hope.

 _Red and white haired Hope and Blake are then seen walking down an alley._

"So, what's the plan now?" Asked Hope. "I still don't believe the White Fang is behind these robberies. They've never needed that much Dust before" Said Blake. "Hum... maybe they do. What if, and this is just a theory, what if Adam was going to make a bomb?" Asked Hope. "Is he?" Asked Blake. "Spoilers. Now, a huge shipment of Dust is coming in from Atlas tonight" Said Hope. "I thought you said no spoilers" Said Blake. "It's not a spoiler, it's a kabih" Said Hope. "Well... let's go" Said Hope.

 _Meanwhile, with Penny and normal Hope_

"So, Blake is your friend?" Asked Penny. "Yes, Penny" Said Hope. "But you're mad at her?" Asked Penny. "I'm not. Weiss is" Said Hope. "Is she friends with Blake?" Asked Penny. "She doesn't deserve a friend like Blake" Said Hope. "But why?" Asked Penny. "Blake is kind, Weiss is a jerk... Black is usually evil, yet it is kind. White is usually good, but is..." Said Hope. "...Is Blake a man?" Asked Penny, before Hope grabbed her wrist. "Penny! I think I love... what?" Asked Hope. "Is Blake a man?" Asked Penny. "No!... I hope not" Said Hope. "Why not?" Asked Penny. "Because I don't believe I can handle a lady that is actually a man and is a Fanuas. My heart may explode" Said Hope, as a animation of Hope finding out about Blake being a man and subsequently exploding played. "Is that a good thing?" Asked Penny. "No..." Said Hope.

 _Amidst the chirping of crickets and darkness of night, Blake lays flat on her stomach on the rooftop overlooking the shipment of Schnee Dust containers._

"Did I miss anything?" Asked Hope. "Not really. They've offloaded the crates from the boat. Now they're just sitting there" Said Blake, as she shivered. "You cold?" Asked Hope. "Little bit" Said Blake. Hope then took his trenchcoat off, and put it on Blake. "You don't need to do that" Said Blake. "Please. I'm a little warm right now" Said Hope. "It's minus twelve degrees" Said Blake. "I'm still warm" Said Hope.

 _Just as he says this, the winds blows all around them, and they look up to see a Bullhead's searchlights flashing around for a landing spot, descending in the middle of the cargo containers and extending a ramp for a black hooded individual with a metallic fanged mask to come out of._

"Oh no..." Said Blake. "The White Fang" Said Hope. "All right, grab the tow cables!" Shouted a White Fang Solider, as other White Fang Soliders came out of the Bullheads.

 _Blake closes her eyes in despair, only to open them suddenly when she hears a new voice_

"Hey! What's the holdup!? We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?" Shouted Roman. "Roman" Said Hope. "This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially not one like that" Said Blake, as she stands up and unsheathes the katana of Gambol Shroud before walking off the edge of the roof. "Hold on. I got a better idea. Allow me to go in crazy and deal with the mooks. You get the orange haired goof" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Blake. Hope then gave Blake a cell phone. "You know how to use that, right?" Asked Hope. "Yep" Said Blake. "Go" Said Hope.

 _Blake falls to the ground in a crouch, then continues on to hide behind one of the containers, peeking around the corner to see Roman berate a White Fang member holding a coil of rope._

"No, you idiot! This isn't a leash!" Shouted Roman. "Hey!" Shouted Hope, causing everyone but Blake to turn towards him. "Who are you!?" Asked Roman. "My name is Hope Xiao Rose. Now, just remember..." Said Hope, as he placed the Starninger Nin Shuriken onto the Ninja Gekiatsuto, and span the Shuriken, transforming Hope into Super Starninger with a burst of light.

 _Penny and normal Hope see the light just a few buildings away._

"Let's go. Adventure awaits" Said Hope, before he grabbed Penny's hand and ran with her towards the light.

 _Ruby, Weiss and Yang also see the light, all the way from Beacon_

 _Meanwhile, with Super Starninger Hope_

"I may be a ninja, but it's a super party night!" Declared Hope. "He doesn't have that... I wonder how powerful it is, in the future" Thought Blake. "Well... Take care of the cowboy" Said Roman, as Hope started walking towards Roman and the White Fang. "Oh Roman, you were always a coward" Said Hope, before Blake quickly kicked Roman in his side. "Alright, here we go" Said Hope, as he started fighting the White Fang Soldiers, defeating them quickly, as Roman shot at Blake, hitting her.

 _Blake, dazed but relatively unhurt on the ground, quickly rolls and runs out of the way of Roman's continued attacks, flaming missiles destroying cargo behind her as she retreats behind more containers._

"Blake, I'm done over here" Said Hope. "Ok, I need you're help" Said Blake, as Roman fired some more at Blake. Suddenly, normal Hope kicked Roman in the back. "Sorry I'm late" Said Hope. "Well, hello! Isn't it past your bedtime?" Asked Roman. "Hope, are these people your friends?" Asked Penny. "Penny, get back" Said Hope.

 _While his attention is diverted, Roman snarls and fires his cane at her, launching him back into a container, knocking him out. Roman gives off a professional-level evil laugh at his attack on Hope. Penny turns her head toward the criminal and gives her first glare._

"I'm combat ready!" Declared Penny. "Looks like it's the climax" Said Starninger Hope.

 _Penny's backpack mechanically opens up, and from its dark depths comes a single sword that extends and multiples into several blades hovering over Penny's back._

"Hey, Penny. It's a party night!" Declared Hope. "What's a party?" Asked Penny. "Oh, um... just, ah. Take care of the soliders, please" Said Hope. "Ok!" Exclaimed Penny.

 _Penny sends three of her swords to knock two White Fang soldiers down before even landing on the ground, where she proceeds to fling the swords at one enemy, impale another to a wall, create a barrier of spinning steel against a running attack, leaping over a goon with her swords in tow, and finally making a wheel that she throws to knock multiple Faunus off their feet._

"Alright!" Exclaimed Hope. "Dang it!" Shouted Roman. "And as for you!" Exclaimed Hope, before he placed the Goutou Nin Shuriken onto the Ninja Gekiatsuto, on the fire setting. "Hey, Blake. Take this" Said Hope, before he threw the Chozetsu Shinobu Brace. "Spin the Shuriken, hope for the best" Said Hope, before he started fighting with Roman. "So, you are a past part of Blake? Tell me, Blake Belladonna. Are you afraid of the future?" Asked the Chozetsu Shinobu Brace. "I must be going crazy. A bracelet is talking to me" Said Blake. "I am no bracelet. I am Sushi-Oh. Now. Are you afraid of the future?" Asked Sushi-Oh. "No. I'm afraid of what will happen if we don't try to change it" Said Blake. "Well. Take me for a spin" Said Sushi-Oh, witch she did. "The CHOZET! CHOZETSU NINJA!" Declared the Chozetsu Shinobu Brace, as Blake was changed into Chozetsu Blake. "Interesting" Said Blake. Blake then rushed towards Roman, and punched him, knocking his Canzooka out of his hands. "Alright! Sushi-Oh. Let's take Blake through this" Said Hope. "Ok. The CHOZETSU rampage! Chozetsu Blake!" Declared Sushi-Oh. "The colourful star! Super... Starninger!" Declared Hope. "We may be shinobi, but we rampage" Said Sushi-Oh. "We may be ninjas, but it's a super party night!" Declared Hope, as a guitar squeal went off. "Shuriken Sentai!" Declared Sushi-Oh. "Ninningar! And Blake!" Declared Hope. "Nin what gar? Asked Roman, as Blake held up a Ninja Ichbantou, and placed Sushi-Oh onto it. "N! I! N I! N! I! N I!" Declared the Ninja Ichibantou. Hope then span the Goutou Nin Shuriken twice. "Atchu atchu atchu atchu atchu ja! Atchu atchu atchu atchu atchu ja! Atchu atchu atchu atchu atchu ja!" Declared the Ninja Gekiatsuto. Blake then span her shuriken as well. "N I N I! NIN NI NIN! N I N I! NIN NI NIN!" Declared the Ninja Ichiban Shoubu. Hope and Blake then both slashed Basco while declaring "Gekiatsu burning superstar!" and "Chozetsu number one duel!", knocking him into the water nearby.

 _When Penny's swords swirl around her again, she commands them to open their points and build up a large glowing ball of green light. With a punching action, several bright lasers crack the pavement when they fire at the transports and slice each one in half, causing several of the White Fang members inside to fall. she aims her swords at the remaining Bullheads holding the crate of Dust and pulls back on their wires, tugging the aircraft with them._

"Oh yeah" Said Hope, as he canceled his transformation, and walked over to his younger self. "Hope?" Asked Penny, as she walked over. "Ok basically, Penny. Future, Japan, another dimension. Got it?" Asked Hope. "Yes. Barley" Said Penny. "Good" Said Hope, before he placed a bracelet on Young Hope's wrist. Conscious Hope then placed an toy like ambulance in the bracelet, and pushed it up, sending energy needles into Young Hope. "This will heal him" Said Hope, before he took Young Hope's OOO Driver and Medels. "Was missing these. Now, you two stay here. He will be up in a minute and might need an explanation" Said Hope, before he faded away.

 _Later, a handful of police cars are at the docks, where Blake, Hope, and Penny are sitting on boxes in silence. That is, until Ruby, Weiss and Yang appear on the scene._

"Weiss, I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with the-" Said Blake. "Stop! Do you have any idea of how long i've been worrying about you and him?" Asked Weiss. "What?" Asked Hope. "Twelve hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think all about this. And in that twelve hours, I've decided that so what? Well done Hope, you made me a caring person" Said Weiss. "I have several questions" Said Hope. "I've been quick to judge for most of my life. It happens, when you're life is worse then anything. But, Hope, you have taught me that looks are the most deceiving thing ever" Said Weiss. "Yeah! Team HRWBY is back together!" Declared Ruby. "It was never separated" Said Hope. "What about a group hug?" Asked Ruby. "Absolutely" Said Weiss. "... Where's Penny?" Asked Hope.

 _From the darkened back seat of a limo, Penny watches the group of friends reuniting with each other._

 _"You should know better than to go running around in a strange city"_ "I know, sir" Said Penny. _"Penny, your time will come..."_

 _Meanwhile, Ozpin is seen holding a scroll showing a "LIVE FEED" of Ruby at the docks. He closes the video and opens up a communication with Qrow, whose team name and other information is left blank and his only message is: "QUEEN HAS PAWNS"_

"Hmmm..." Said Ozpin.

 _The scenes cuts to a view of Beacon Academy bathed in the light of the nearly-full moon_

 _Roman crawls onto the shore, exhausted after the fight with Future Hope and Blake, layed down, as Cinder and two teens walked up to him._

"How very disappointing, Roman" Said Cinder. "What were they, Cinder?" Asked Roman. "I don't know... but the boy seems to know more then we think. We were expecting... more from you" Said Cinder, as Roman laughs a little before getting serious. "Hey! You were the ones who suggested working with those stupid mutts from the White Fang" Said Roman. "And you will continue to do so" Said Cinder, as she summons a fireball in her hand and steps out of the darkness with her two companions, a purple-haired man and mint-haired, tanned woman, eyes glowing gold. "We have big plans for you, Roman. All we ask is... a little cooperation" Said Cinder

 _The camera holds on Cinder Fall's evil little smile before cutting to black._

And that's it. Volume 1 of RWBY is finished. And later, so will Kamen Rider RWBY. And after that will be a little surprise story, that's kinda already on here, but you know. I got spooped, and am now finishing it. I'm gonna repost this in the Anouncements past of this author page. I'd actually like some reviews, see if anyone likes this. Anyway, you people are amazing, and good evening, night, morning, afternoon, New Years, Halloween, April fools, Christmas, happy birthday or Royal Rumble 2017, depending on when you read this. But for now, happy 5:23 PM, 13/5/2016 AKA Friday the 13th.


	13. Vol 2: Best Day Ever

_A ship flies through the skies over Vale and the camera pans down to the city streets. The owner of the Dust shop "From Dust Till Dawn" is hanging a sign declaring its re-opening. As he climbs down from his ladder, he stumbles and falls. Emerald Sustrai appears next to him._

"'Scuse me, sorry. I'm not really from around here. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?" Asked Emerald.

 _Emerald produces a piece of paper with writing on it and the shopkeep looks it over._

"Hmm? Mm-hmm" Said the Shopkeeper.

 _Emerald walks away from the shop owner as both wave goodbye and passes Mercury Black at a corner._

"I knew you were lost" Said Mercury. "Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up" Said Emerald, as she produces a wallet with Lien and waves it in Mercury's face. "That's not your money" Said Mercury. "But it can be yours for 5 minutes of silence" Said Emerald. "Mmmm... no deal" Said Mercury. "...Fine" Said Emerald, before she takes the Lien and tosses the wallet, turning to walk away. "Whatever. You want me" Said Mercury.

 _More of the city is shown, including a café where two extras sit chatting. Mercury and Emerald are walking through the city._

"So, how much farther?" Asked Mercury. "A few blocks" Said Emerald. "Ugh... this place is so dull" Said Mercury. "Eh, I kinda like it. Tall buildings, diverse culture..." Said Emerald. "And nice dopey people who are easy to pickpocket" Said Mercury.

 _Emerald stops._

"That's every city" Said Emerald. "Ooh, Emerald! Master thief! Please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by" Said Mercury.

 _Emerald glares at him, groaning angrily. She then walks away from him._

"Ugh... you're no fun today" Said Emerald.

 _Mercury follows behind Emerald. The scene shifts to Emerald and Mercury entering a shop full of books. The shop owner can be heard humming a tune. Mercury stops near the door to look at books while Emerald approaches the counter and rings a service bell._

"Be right there! Welcome to "Tukson's Book Trade", home to every book under the sun! I'm Tukson! How may I... How may I help you?" Asked Tukson. "Just browsing" Said Mercury. "Actually, I was wondering, do you have any copies of "The Thief and The Butcher"?" Asked Emerald. "Yes we do" Said Tukson. "That's great" Said Emerald. "Would you... like a copy?" Asked Tukson, nervously. "No, just wondering. Oh, oh! What about "The Crystal Lightning"? In paperback?" Asked Emerald. "He's got it. Hardback too" Said Mercury, as he shows the book. "Ooh, options are nice" Said Emerald. "Eh, no pictures. Hey! Do you have "The Racer of the Wyvern"?" Asked Mercury. "Near the front" Said Tukson. "Oh, no, wait! What... about... "A Lost Traveler, in Mourning"?" Asked Emerald. "Um... I... don't believe we carry that one" Said Tukson, unnerved. "Oh" Said Mercury, slamming his book shut. "What was this place called again?" Asked Mercury. "Tukson's Book Trade" Said Tukson. "And you're Tukson?" Asked Mercury. "That's right" Said Tukson. "So then I take it that you're the one that came up with the catchphrase?" Asked Emerald. "Yes" Said Tukson. "And, what was it again?" Asked Emerald. "Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun" Said Tukson. "Except A Lost Traveler, in Mourning" Said Mercury. "It's just a catchphrase" Said Tukson. "It's false advertising!" Shouted Mercury. "You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Tukson" Said Emerald.

 _Mercury activates a switch near the entrance causing a front window to darken_

"I hear that you're planning on leaving. Moving all the way to Vacuo" Said Emerald.

 _Mercury activates another switch and the window in the front door darkens_

"Your brothers in the White Fang won't be happy to hear that" Said Emerald.

 _Mercury activates the third and final switch, darkening the last window as he smiles creepily at Tukson_

"And neither are we... You know who we are, don't you?" Asked Emerald. "Yes" Said Tukson. "And you know why we're here?" Said Emerald. "Yes" Said Tukson. "So... are you going to fight back?" Asked Emerald. "Yes!" Shouted Tukson, as he produces claws from his fingers. "Yaargh!" Shouted Tukson.

 _Tukson leaps atop his counter in a threatening manner. Mercury and Emerald back up slightly and he leaps at Emerald and slashes at her, but she dodges. He looks forward and is surprised at Mercury as he raises one leg for a kick with his shotgun-greaves. Mercury and Emerald exit "Tukson's Book Trade". Emerald stretches her arms overhead. Mercury is carrying a comic._

"What's with that?" Asked Emerald. "I like the pictures" Said Mercury.

 _A series of sketches and notes mark the next scene. These include the White Fang insignia, a possible picture of Adam Taurus, and Adam's rose. In the Beacon Academy cafeteria, Team HRWBY are sitting together as Blake looks over some notes. Yang then slides up next to her partner._

"Whatcha doing?" Asked Yang. "Nothing. Just going over notes from last semester" Said Blake, as she closed her book and Yang catches a grape in her mouth. "Lame" Said Yang.

 _Nora giggles as she continues to toss grapes at Yang with her spoon. Yang catches the fruit with ease, giving Nora the thumbs up. Ruby, giving an enormous heave, slams a binder onto the table, catching everyone off guard. On the cover of the binder is written "Vytal Festival Activities, Property of Weiss Schnee". This has been hastily crossed out with a red marker pen, and with the same pen, a new title, "Best Day Ever Activities", has been written underneath._

"Sisters... friends... Weiss" Said Ruby. "Hey!" Shouted Weiss. "Four score and seven minutes ago, I had a dream..." Said Ruby. "That one day you'd take a shower?" Asked Hope. "What? No" Said Ruby. "This ought to be good" Said Yang, as she catches another berry in her mouth. "A dream that one day, the five of us will come together, as a team, and have the most fun anyone has ever had... ever!" Declared Ruby. "Don't we do that everyday? Like that time Yang was working out? We all sat on her back when she was doing push-ups. It was fun. Me and Yang spar as well. That's fun. Me and Yang do a lot together" Said Hope, as he wrapped his arms around Yang. "Stop that. It's really creepy. Anyway! I'm talking about kicking off the semester with a bang!" Declared Ruby. "I always kick my semesters off with a Yang! Eh? Guys? Am I right?" Asked Yang.

 _An apple is tossed at Yang and hits her in the face. She glares at Nora._

"Boooooooooooooooo!" Exclaimed Nora. "Look guys, it's been a good two weeks and between more exchange students arriving and the tournament at the end of the year, our second semester is going to be great! But, classes start back up tomorrow! Which is why I've taken the time to schedule a series of wonderful events for us today" Said Ruby. "I don't know whether to be proud or scared of what you have in store" Said Weiss.

 _Yang, still glaring, picks up an apple and tosses it across the room. Offscreen, an unfamiliar voice shouts "Hey!" and Nora can be heard giggling._

"I don't know. I think I might sit this one out" Said Blake. "Sit out or not, I think that however we spend this last day, we should do it as a team!" Declared Weiss. "Yeah!" Declared Hope. "I got it!" Declared Nora. "Oh no" Said Emily.

 _Nora throws a pie at Weiss, as Ren has his head in his palm. Pyrrha's hand is over her mouth and Jaune simply sits staring wide-eyed while covering his ear with his palm._

 _A few seconds later, many students are shown stampeding out the door past Sun and a blue haired boy, the latter of whom is looking quite worried._

"Ahahahaha!" Laughed Nora.

 _Team JNPR are shown to be standing atop a tower of tables stacked in a ramshackle manner._

"I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!" Declared Nora, as Ruby stomped her foot on a table and pointing at Team JNPR. "Justice will be swift! Justice will be painful! It will be delicious!" Declared Ruby, as she crushed a milk carton. "Yeah!" Declared Weiss, Blake and Yang. "Off with their heads!" Declared Nora, as Hope and Emily walked away from there respective teams, and to a wall to watch.

 _Nora jumps down from the top of her tower, and the food fight begins._

"Yang! Turkey!" Shouted Ruby.

 _Yang rolls over to the turkeys and sticks her fists inside them, proceeding to block and punch the melons as they speed toward her. After some fighting, Nora knocks Weiss into a pillar. The impact knocks her out and Ruby holds her in her arms as the pillar collapses around them._

"Weiss, Weiss! Don't leave me! Nooo!" Shouted Ruby. "Our teams are madness personified" Said Emily. "True, but we lead them. We are the leaders of madness" Said Hope. "Is that a bad thing?" Asked Emily. "No. It just gives use more laughs" Said Hope, as he rested his head on her shoulder.

 _The fighting resumes, ending with JNPR slammed against a cracked wall painted with soda and food. Team JNPR slides off the wall, leaving only their outlines. The doors behind them open and Glynda enters the room growling. She proceeds to use telekinesis to re-organize the room._

"Children, please. Do not play with your food" Said Glynda.

 _Nora burps aloud as both teams EJNPR and HRWBY try and fail to compose themselves. A screaming Yang then crashes from the ceiling into one of the tables. Glynda grumbles. Ozpin approaches and places a hand on her shoulder._

"Let it go" Said Ozpin. "They're supposed to be the defenders of the world" Said Glynda. "And they will be, but right now they're still children. So why not let them play the part? After all, it isn't a role they'll get to have forever" Said Ozpin, as he walked away.

 _Meanwhile, in an old warehouse, the White Fang are moving crates as Emerald and Mercury enter._

"Oh, look! She sent the kids again! This is turning out just like the divorce!" Declared Roman, as he approaches the two from behind and wraps his arms around them in a group hug. "Spare us the thought of you procreating" Said Emerald, as she and Mercury pull away from Roman. "That was a joke. And this... just might tell me where you two have been all day" Said Roman, as he produces a piece of paper. "What!? Agh..." Said Emerald. "I'm a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something. Why do you have this address?" Asked Roman. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Asked Emerald. "Yeah, I would. Now where have you been all day?" Asked Roman. "Cleaning up your problems. One of them, at least" Said Mercury. "I had that under control" Said Roman. "Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise" Said Mercury, "Listen, you little punk. If it were up to me, then I would take you and your little street rat friend here and..." Said Roman. "Do what, Roman?" Asked Cinder.

 _Cinder appears on a platform above them. She steps onto an automated lift, riding it down to their level._

"I'd, uh... not kill them?" Asked Roman. "Cinder!" Exclaimed Emerald, as a little chibi version of herself. "I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway" Said Cinder. "I was going to..." Said Roman. "He was going to escape to Vacuo! Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat" Said Emerald. "I think he was some sort of cat, actually" Said Mercury. "What? Like a puma?" Asked Emerald. "Yeah, there ya go" Said Mercury. "Quiet. Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale?" Said Cinder.

 _As Cinder speaks, Roman points a finger at the pair while laughing in agreement._

"I just thought..." Said Emerald.

 _Roman uses his fingers to mime having a slit throat._

"Don't think... obey" Said Cinder. "Yes ma'am. It won't happen again" Said Emerald. "And you. Why wasn't this job done sooner?" Asked Cinder. "Uh..? Eh..? Eh..? EHHHHH! Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the Kingdom!" Shouted Roman. "And getting your butt kicked by people in spandex" Said Emerald, causing Cinder to chuckle a little. "Look around, kid. I've got this town running scared! Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty on an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than we know what to do with! Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might make my next string of robberies go a little smoother!" Shouted Roman. "Oh, Roman. Have a little faith. You'll know what you need when you need to know it. Besides, we're done with Dust" Said Cinder. "O-okay, then what now?" Asked Roman. "We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight" Said Cinder. "Coordinates?" Asked Roman. "We're proceeding to phase two" Said Cinder.

 _Cinder, Mercury and Emerald begin to walk away. Roman attempts to light a cigar, but realizes Emerald has stolen his lighter. She turns back to face him and sticks her tongue out defiantly._


	14. Vol 2: Welcome to Beacon

"Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels" Said Glynda, as ships flew towards Beacon. "Well, running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore. Come in" Said Ozpin.

 _The camera switches to a low perspective beyond Ozpin's desk and facing the doors as they slide open to reveal Ironwood as Ozpin approaches to greet him._

"Ozpin" Said Ironwood.

 _Ozpin stands at attention._

"Hello, General" Said Ozpin. "Please, drop the formalities. It's been too long. And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met" Said Ironwood. "Oh, James! I'll be outside" Said Glynda. "Well, she hasn't changed a bit" Said Ironwood.

 _As Ozpin speaks, the camera shifts and Glynda can be seen from behind Ozpin and Ironwood as she exits" the room._

"So, what in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas? Headmasters don't typically travel with their students, for the Vytal Festival" Said Ozpin. "Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year. Besides, with you hosting, I thought that this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up" Said Ironwood. "I can certainly appreciate the quality time between friends, however, a small fleet outside my window has me concerned" Said Ozpin. "Well, concerned is what brought them here" Said Ironwood. "I understand that travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult" Said Ozpin. "Oz, you and I both know why I brought those men" Said Ironwood."We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression" Said Ozpin. "But if what Qrow said is true..." Said Ironwood. "They're only kids. And he can't even be able to be one" Said Ozpin. "But on that night, Ozpin..." Said Ironwood. "No. He isn't. Besides, if what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully. It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent" Said Ozpin. "I'm just being cautious" Said Ironwood. "As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can" Said Ozpin. "Believe me, I am. But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children can win a war against a god?" Asked Ironwood. "They never have to" Said Ozpin.

 _In the Beacon Academy library, Team HRWBY are shown playing Remnant: The Game. The camera pans from Weiss to Yang Xiao Long, then to Blake, who is obviously distracted, Ruby, who has been contemplating her next move, and Hope, watching the game._

"Hmmmmm... All right... All right! Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle!" Declared Ruby. "Bring it on!" Declared Yang. "I deploy the Atlesian Air Fleet! Looks like I get to fly right over your Ursai and attack your walls directly!" Declared Ruby. "You fiend!" Declared Yang. "And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time is only one turn" Said Ruby, as she gives a look of surprise as, offscreen, Yang can be heard laughing arrogantly. "Pretty sneaky, sis, but you just activated my trap card! Giant Nevermore! If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!" Declared Yang.

 _A scene of a Nevermore flying over a field of swords impaled in the ground plays over the conversation._

"But, if you roll a six or lower, the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!" Declared Ruby, as The Nevermore is shown to be turning back toward Yang. "That's just a chance I'm willing to take" Said Yang, as the two glare at each other. Yang is heard shouting triumphantly offscreen.

 _Team EJNPR are shown as Yang and Ruby banter on about the game. Ren and Pyrrha are studying, and Nora is drooling as she sleeps._

"Nooooo! My fearless soldiers!" Shouted Ruby. "And I've won" Said Yang. "Oh. Have pancakes" Said Nora, in her sleep. "Well, ah, how about we play a game I know?" Asked Hope. "And what game might that be, Hope?" Asked Yang. "Ah... Emily! Come over here please. We're gonna play the game" Said Hope. "No..." Said Emily. "Come on. Us vs Yang and Ruby vs Weiss and Blake" Said Hope. "Fine. Shall I get the stuff?" Asked Emily. "I'll get the decks, you get the disks. Everyone, to downstairs" Said Hope. "What are we going to play?" Asked Ruby. "A game. Full of warriors, dragons, spellcasters, faries, deamons, spells, traps, and all sorts of machines" Said Hope, as he and Emily disappeared, then reappeared downstairs. "Ok, come down here if you want to play" Said Hope, before Yang, Ruby, Weiss, Ren, Pyrrha and Jaune went downstairs. "Ok, take a duel disk and deck of cards, and get into teams of two" Said Hope, as everyone did so. "Ok, now put the deck in the side slot" Said Hope, as everyone did so. "Ok, so the teams are Me and Em, Ruby and Weiss, Yang and Pyrrha and Ren and Jaune. I'll come up with team names. Team Superhot, Team White Rose, Team Greek Fire and Team... um, team Men. Yep. Team Men" Said Hope. "So, who will go first?" Asked Yang. "Um... Well, me and Emily might as well go first, to just teach you guys the basics. So, it will go Me, Emily, Weiss, Ruby, Yang, Pyrrha, Jaune, then Ren. Ok, let's start" Said Hope.

Turn 1: Hope

Hope draws. Hope summons "Lord of Cinder Flexile Senty" (1600/ 0) in attack mode. Hope sets two cards and ends his turn.

Turn 2: Emily

Emily draws. Emily sets one monster, and ends her turn.

Turn 3: Weiss

Weiss draws. Weiss ends her turn.

Turn 4: Ruby

Ruby draws. Ruby summons "Nobunaga Damashii" (2050/ 150) in attack mode. "Nobunaga Damashii" attacks "Lord of Cinder Flexile Senty" (Superhot LP: 3550). Hope activates "Cinder Link", allowing Hope to summon one "Of Cinder" monster from his hand. Hope special summons "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" (2000/ 1600). Ruby sets two cards and ends her turn.

Turn 5: Yang

Yang draws. Yang summons "Font Dummy" (0/ 0) from her hand in attack mode. Yang activates "Twin Line", speical summoning another "Font Dummy" from her hand. Yang activates the effects of the "Font Dummy", changing there levels from 4 to 2. Yang overlays her two "Font Dummy" to XYZ summon "Font Goat" (1000/ 1500) in defence mode. Yang ends her turn.

Turn 6: Pyrrha

Pyrrha draws. Pyrrha activates "Septic Conversion", sending "Blue Eyes White Dragon" to the graveyard to summon "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" (3000/ 2500) from her deck. Due to the first effect of "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon", every other team takes 1000 damage. (Superhot LP: 2550/ White Rose LP: 3000/ Men LP: 3000). "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" attacks Emily's face down card, witch was "Grateful Number 2: Edison" (1700/ 2800). "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" attacks "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" (Superhot LP: 1550). Hope activates the effect of "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher", special summoning another copy from his deck in defence mode. "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" attacks "Font Goat". Pyrrha, embarrassed, ends her turn.

Turn 7: Jaune

Jaune draws. Jaune pays 1000 life points to speical summon "Mining Lord of Butter" (2800/ 2000) (Men LP: 2000) in attack mode. "Mining Lord of Butter" attacks "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher", but Hope activates "Magical Cylinder", making Team Men take damage equal to "Mining Lord of Butter" attack points (Men LP: 0). Jaune and Ren are eliminated.

"What!?" Asked Jaune. "Sweep the leg, stab the jugular. Traps in Yu-Gi-Oh aren't just for summoning and stuff. They are also used for offence" Said Hope. "Oh, I know" Said Yang.

Turn 8: Hope

Hope draws. Hope activates the effect of the "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" in his graveyard, special summoning him from his graveyard, but he cannot summon for the rest of his turn. Hope sets one card and activates the field spell card "Cinder Shrine". Now, he can only summon once after he activates the first effect of a "Of Cinder" monster. Hope sets a monster and ends his turn.

Turn 9: Emily

Emily draws. Emily sets one monster, and two cards, and ends her turn.

Turn 10: Weiss

Weiss draws. Weiss places "Toucan Musashi" (Scale 5) and "Toucan Hood" (Scale 9) in the pendulum scale. Weiss pendulum summons "Toucan Benkai" (3000/ 1200), "Toucan Kid" (3200/ 700) and "Toucan Beethoven" (2000/ 500). "Toucan Kid" attacks "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" (Greek Fire LP: 3800) "Toucan Benkai" attacks "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" (Superhot LP: 550). Hope activates the effect of "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher", special summoning another one from his deck. Weiss ends her turn.

"You're all really good" Said Hope. "We lost first turn we got!" Shouted Jaune. "Yeah, you gaved it" Said Hope. "Gaved?" Asked Jaune. "Extremely screwed up" Said Hope.

Turn 11: Ruby

Ruby draws. Ruby tributes "Nobunaga Damashii" to summon "Kamehameha Damashii" (2700/ 1000) in attack mode. "Kamehameha Damashii" attacked "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher". Ruby activates the trap card "Hoshi-ippai!", allowing her to draw one card. Ruby sets one card then ends her turn.

Turn 12: Yang

Yang draws. Yang activates "Font Reborn", special summoning "Font Goat" from her graveyard. Yang then activated "Font Quick XYZ", allowing Yang to special summon one "Font" XYZ monster from her extra deck by paying 1000 life points (Greek Fire LP: 2800). Yang special summons "Font Dancer" (2600/ 2300). Yang overlays "Font Goat" and "Font Dancer" to XYZ summon "Font King" (3500/ 2800) in attack mode. Yang activates the effect of "Font King", detaching all of it's overlay units to special summon "Font" XYZ monster equal to the overlay units detached. Yang special summons "Font Dancer" and "Font Flower" (100/ 1200). "Font King" attacks "Kamehameha Damashii" (White Rose LP: 1800). "Font Dancer" attacks Superhot, but Emily activates "Grateful Deception", negating the attack and taking control of "Font Flower". Yang ends her turn.

Turn 13: Pyrrha

Pyrrha draws. Pyrrha activates "Sam Love", special summoning "Septic Boss Soldier" (3000/ 2500) from her deck in attack mode. Pyrrha activates the effect of "Septic Boss Soldier", adding another "Sam Love" to her hand, and banishing "Toucan Kid". Pyrrha activates "Sam Love", special summoning "Septic Utopia Ray Victory" (2800/ 2500) from his deck in attack mode. "Septic Utopia Ray Victory" attacks "Toucan Benkai", but Ruby activates "Suge Magician", allowing her to draw one card, and if she draws "Houdini Damashii", then Ruby can send one "Damashii Cheer" card to the graveyard and activate its effect. Ruby draws "Zukyun! Bakyun!", so the attack continues. The effect of "Septic Utopia Ray Victory" activates, so it gains attack points equal to "Toucan Benkai" (5800/ 2500) (White Rose LP: 0). "Septic Boss Soldier" attacks "Font Flower". Pyrrha ends her turn.

"Looks like things are being stacked up" Said Hope. "Sup losers" Said Sun.

 _Sun appears holding his fingers in a "peace" sign._

"Hey Sun" Said Ruby.

 _The camera shifts to show that Neptune is next to Sun._

"Hope, Ruby, Yang, Blake... Ice Queen" Said Sun. "Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Asked Weiss. "Very basic reason. Let's get back to the duel" Said Hope.

Turn 14: Hope

Hope draws. Hope activates the effects of all three "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" in his graveyard, speical summoning all three copies from his graveyard. Hope tributes all three "Lords of Cinder Abyss Watcher" to speical summon "Soul of Cinder" (3500/ 2750) from his hand. Hope activates the second effect of "Cinder Shrine", making all battle damage double. Hope activates the last effect of "Cinder Shrine", destroying it to give "Soul of Cinder" an extra 1000 attack points (4500/ 2750). "Soul of Cinder" attacks "Septic Boss Soldier" (Greek Fire LP: 0). Hope and Emily win.

"We won!" Declared Hope. "Impressive!" Shouted Yang, as Blake left.

 _The scene switches to Team HRWBY's room. The camera pans from the night sky seen through the window over to Blake as she sits with her knees folded to her chest on her bed. Voices can be heard echoing in her head._

"I may be a ninja, but it's a super party night!" Declared Hope, as Super Starninger. "Hey! What's the holdup!? We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?" Shouted Roman

 _The sounds of battle including slashes, grunts, gunfire, and Torchwick's laughter._

"Well, this has certainly been an eventful evening" Said Ozpin. "Hmph" Said Blake.

 _The scene shifts to show that Blake is sitting in an interviewing office as Ozpin enters. Blake quietly acknowledges his statement._

"I'm sure that after a night of thwarting attempted robbery, you probably just want to go home and take a nap. But, I was hoping that maybe we could have a chance to talk" Said Ozpin. "Of course" Said Blake. "Wonderful. As you know, in order to enroll at my academy, students must first pass a rigorous entrance exam. Most applicants spend years of preparation training at one of the many combat schools around the world. You are one of the few that did not. And you passed the exam with flying colors" Said Ozpin. "I was raised outside the kingdoms. If you can't fight, you can't survive" Said Blake. "Well, you have most certainly survived, Blake. I admire your drive. And I am proud to run a school that accepts individuals from all walks of life. Rich, poor, Human... Faunus..." Said Ozpin, as Blake glares at him. "Why do you wear that bow, Blake? Why hide who you are?" Said Ozpin. "You may be willing to accept the Faunus, Professor Ozpin, but your species is not" Said Blake. "True, but we are continuing to take strides to lessen the divide" Said Ozpin. "With all due respect, you need to start taking some larger strides. Until then, I'd rather avoid any unnecessary attention. I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am" Said Blake. "And what are you?" Asked Ozpin. "I don't understand what you're asking" Asked Blake. "How did you know the White Fang would be at the shipyard tonight?" Asked Ozpin. "I didn't. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time" Said Blake. "You wouldn't have been the first. But what happened tonight was not an isolated incident. I may be your headmaster, but I am also a Huntsman, and it is my sworn duty to protect this world from the forces that conspire against it. Blake, are you sure there is nothing else you would like to tell me?" Asked Ozpin. "I'm sure" Said Blake. "Very well. Thank you for your time, Ms. Belladonna. If you ever need to talk to someone, you can talk to me. Please, don't hesitate to ask" Said Ozpin.

Team HRWBY are shown entering their dorm room.

"That was awesome!" Declared Ruby. "I know! The monster looked so cool. And it was highly strategical!" Declared Yang. "Yeah, it's a staple card game in my home dimension" Said Hope.

 _As they enter, Blake approaches the door to leave._

"Stop. Lately you've been quiet, antisocial and moody" Said Weiss. "Uh, have you met Blake?" Asked Yang. "Which I get is kind of your thing, but you've been doing it more than usual! Which quite frankly, is unacceptable! You made a promise to me, to all of us, that you would let us know if something was wrong!" Said Weiss, as she flips through the air as six copies of her emblem fly through the air. "So, Blake Belladonna, what is wrong!?" Said Weiss, as she points her finger at Blake again.

 _Weiss is shown to be balancing precariously on a chair's back feet. She quickly puts the chair away and returns to stand near the girls._

"I just, I don't understand how everyone can be so calm" Said Blake. "You're still thinking about Torchwick?" Asked Hope "Torchwick, the White Fang, all of it! Something big is happening and no one is doing anything about it!" Shouted Blake. "Ozpin told us not to worry. Between the police and the Huntsmen, I'm sure they can handle it" Said Hope. "Well I'm not! They don't know the White Fang like I do!" Shouted Blake. "Okay, between blowing up nightclubs, stopping thieves, and fighting for freedom, I'm sure the three of you think that you're all ready to go out and apprehend these ne'er-do-wells" Said Weiss. "Uh, who?" Asked Ruby. "But let me once again be the voice of reason. We're students! We're not ready to handle this sort of situation" Said Weiss. "Well yeah, but..." Said Ruby. "We're not ready!" Shouted Weiss. "And we may never be ready! Our enemies aren't just going to sit around and wait for graduation day. They're out there, somewhere, planning their next move, and none of us know what it is, but it's coming! Whether we're ready or not!" Shouted Blake, as Ruby raises her hand and does other random gestures, while looking manic. "Okay, all in favor of becoming the youngest Huntresses to single-handedly taking down a corrupt organization conspiring against the Kingdom of Vale... say aye" Said Ruby. "Yes! I love it when you're feisty" Said Yang. "Well, I suppose it could be fun" Said Weiss. "None of you said aye" Said Ruby. "Alright then, we're in this together" Said Blake. "Let's hatch a plan" Said Ruby. "Yeah!" Shouted Yang. "I left my board game at the library" Said Weiss. "We're doomed" Said Weiss. "I'll get it. I left my deck in there as well" Said Hope, as he walked out of the dorm.

 _The sound of collision is heard as Hope seems to slam into the camera and disappears offscreen._

"Oo-oof! Oh g-! Sorry. Are you okay...?" Said Hope. "I'm fine. Just watch where you're going" Said Emerald. "Yeah... are you new?" Asked Hope, as Emerald steps aside to reveal Cinder as she approaches "Visiting from Haven, actually" Said Cinder.

 _Hope stares for a moment and Cinder stares back._

"... Can I talk to her for a second?" Asked Hope. "N..." Said Murcury. "Yes. You can talk to me" Said Cinder. "But..." Said Emerald. "I'll be fine, don't worry" Said Cinder, before Murcury and Emerald reluctantly left. "So... what are you doing here? And so early, it's only been a few months" Said Hope. "This is the next phase of my plan, silly. And why wouldn't I come here? This place has secrets" Said Cinder. "What? Did they steal something from you?" Asked Hope. "In a way. And I want it back. Will you help me?" Asked Cinder. "No... but I won't stop you if nobody dies, ok?" Asked Hope. "... I'm ok with that" Said Cinder. "Well, have fun with your plan, Cinder Fall" Said Hope. "How..." Said Cinder. "I know everything, darling" Said Hope, as he kissed Cinder on the cheek, before Hope walked away.


	15. Vol 2: The Right Thing

"So, Weiss, y'know, uh, I-I was thinking after this, maybe we could go grab a bite to eat? And, uh um, I-I've got two tickets to that new Spruce Willis movie, if you wanna make the trip to Vale. I hear it's awesome. Aaaand maybe after that, we could study together? I mean, you're smart and I'm, uh... Y'know" Said Jaune.

 _Finally, the clock in front of Weiss gives a shrill beep as it changes from 3:59 to 4:00, and she dismisses it with a wave of her hand. The professor is temporarily unaware of the alarm._

"And then I— Oh. Timed that one wrong, I guess. Well, the stunning conclusion to this story will have to wait. Until next time" Said Port, as Weiss packed up her Scroll. "Weiss? Did you hear me?" Asked Jaune. "No, no, no, yes" Said Weiss.

 _Upon hearing this, Jaune groans and does a faceplant into his desk, as the rest of Team HRWBY walks out of class behind him, Yang ruffles Jaune's hair without even looking._

"One day" Said Yang.

 _A closeup of Ruby's hands as she straps the red laces of her shoes. Switch to a closeup of Weiss' hand gripping the handle of Myrtenaster strapped to her side. Switch to a closeup of Yang's Ember Celica over her left forearm as she slides the chamber. Switch to a closeup of Blake tightening the black ribbons around her arms. Switch to full view of Team HRWBY's preparations, revealing their new outfits, with Hope in his normal outfit, as he leaves._

"I thought that class would never end" Said Blake. "Alright, guys, today's the day! The investigation begins!" Said Ruby.

 _Happily leaps off her mattress and onto the floor, arms raised excitedly. She almost lands on Weiss, who is on the bottom bunk._

"I'm glad to see we're taking this so seriously" Said Weiss. "Hey, we've got a plan! That's... moderately serious" Said Yang. "Right! Everyone remember their roles?" Asked Ruby.

 _Weiss stands up as the camera quickly shifts left to each member who state their objective._

"You and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem" Said Weiss. "The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what they're planning" Said Blake. "I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard..." Said Yang. "Great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we found. Let's do this!" Shouted Ruby, as she tried leaving the dorm, but she couldn't open the door. "Um..." Said Ruby. Yang then tried to open the door, but she couldn't. "Who?..." Asked Yang, as a screen behind them turned on, showing Hope, walking down a corridor. "Hello, my team. I have deadlocked the door of our dorm, taken your weapons and placed a live feed of my 'scroll' into our dorm T.V. I have done all of this because I do not want you to fight this war. This war will be solved by me alone. Not you four, not us five. Just me. I don't want any of you to be harmed. The window has a laser system, just so no one tries that. Now, I don't care if tomorrow, none of you like me. All of you hate me and just want me dead. I'm doing this so none of you get harmed. I'm going dark now" Said Hope, as he turned off the live feed.

 _The scene changes to that of a monumental tower that looms over the sparse trees growing around the crossroads below. Hope walks inside of the tower and through the grand, glowing lobby of the tower, avoiding the central terminal and heading straight for the elevator doors, which slide open automatically and close when he's inside. The voice of the CCT AI is projected from a panel near the door._

"Hello. Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?" Asked the CCT AI. "I'd like to go to the communications room, please" Said Hope. "Absolutely. Could you please place your Scroll on the terminal to verify your identity?" Asked the CCT AI, as Hope retrieves a scroll and places it as directed. "Perfect! Thank you, Miss Schnee" Said the CCT AI, as Hope put on a mask, changing him and his appearance into Weiss's.

 _Upon entering the room, four symbols are seen on a computer - twin axes and wreaths, three flying swords pointing down, a spear and shield inside a fragmented circle, and a precise winged shape. Hope walks up to the front desk where a holographic secretary appears in the seat._

"Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?" Asked the CCT AI. "I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas" Said Hope, in Weiss's voice. "Absolutely. If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through" Said CCT AI. "Thank you" Said Hope.

 _Hope smiles and nods before walking over to his assigned cubicle-like computer, passing a few Beacon students in uniform - one of which is talking to her mother and asking how things are going back in Signal Academy. He sits at her own display, taking a deep breath to prepare for the call ahead. He then poses relaxed. The face of a short-haired brunette appears on the monitor with the Schnee snowflake rotating behind her. She does not realize who she is talking to until she looks up._

"Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well" Said the Operater. "No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list... oh, and tell my dad that I love him, and my sister that I miss her" Said Hope.

 _Hope produces Weiss's Scroll, placing it into a slot on the keyboard, creating a series of noises as the Operator looks at the data from her side of the screen._

"I see. If you don't mind... what may I ask is this for?" Asked the Operator. "A school project" Said Hope. "Um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am" Said the Operator. "Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care" Said Hope. "Right... Very well. The data is being transferred to your Scroll now" Said the Operator. "Wonderful! That will be all, then" Said Weiss. "Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?" Asked the Operator. "Yes, I'm sure" Said Hope. "Well, then... Have a nice day" Said the Operator.

 _The call is dropped, and so too is Hope's Weiss act, seen in the screen's reflection. Hope then left the Communication Tower, and then accidentally walked into Penny._

"Penny?" Asked Hope. "Uuuh..." Said Penny. "How's it been?" Asked Hope. "S-Sorry. I think you're confused. Uh... I've got to go!" Said Penny, as she stood up and started walking away.

 _Hope then ran up to Penny as she descends the steps until she gets in front of the non-eccentric redhead._

"Penny! Where have you been?" Asked Hope. "There seems to be a... misunderstanding" Said Penny. "What?! Penny... Is everything okay? Penny, stop. Do you remember me? It's me, Hope" Said Hope. "...It isn't safe to talk here" Said Penny. "Really?..." Said Hope, as he smiled deviously.

 _Meanwhile, in HRWBY's Dorm, Yang and Weiss check there pockets_

"Where's my scroll!?" Asked Weiss. "And where are my keys?... Oh no" Said Yang.

 _Meanwhile, at the Beacon Garage, Beacon Students stand around outside of it, but suddenly, Hope and Penny, on Yang's motorcycle, bust out of the door, and drive through the grounds of Beacon, crashing through the fountain and driving to the docks. Hope then activated the turbo boost, and jumped from the docks, to a Atlas airship, and then to another airship, before driving down a wall of a building and then landing on the ground, before stopping Yang's motercycle._

"That was awesome!" Shouted Penny. "I know. Didn't think that would work" Said Hope. "Really?" Asked Penny. "Yeah. But what happened? Were you kidnapped?" Asked Hope. "Oh, no! Nothing like that" Said Penny. "So, what happened?" Asked Hope, as they started walked. "I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far, but... You have to understand, my father loves me very much; he just worries a lot" Said Penny. "Oh... I've never had that feeling..." Said Hope. "I... was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Anybody, really" Said Penny. "Was your dad upset?" Asked Hope. "No, it wasn't my father..." Said Penny.

 _Before she can continue, she and Hope hear the sound of megaphones announcing something, turning around the corner to look at the platform in the center of a plaza where James Ironwood, holding a microphone, is seen before six AK-130 Androids, who are in turn standing in front of two large metal storage cases with the spear-and-shield emblem on their doors._

"The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years, and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you agree? But... the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'... Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting... the Atlesian Knight-200!" Declared Ironwood, as the doors to the cases roll up, and six new, bulkier, shinier automatons stand at attention before knocking their obsolete predecessors down to the applause of the watchers. "Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary" Said Ironwood, as the robots flex and pose as a demonstration. "These models will become active later this year, but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require... a human touch" Said Ironwood.

 _The last line draws Hope's attention._

"Hope..?" Asked Penny, as Hope started walking towards the stage. "Stay here" Said Hope. "So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company, are proud to introduce... the Atlesian Paladin" Said Ironwood.

 _Ironwood moves too the side, as a robotic white behemoth, featuring hinged piston legs, large guns for hands, and a rectangular head, standing at least twice as tall as the Knights below it._

"Now, we couldn't have him here for you today, but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year" Said Ironwood, before Hope jumped up onto the stage and uppercutted him in the chin, knocking him out. Hope then took the microphone that Ironwood was using. "Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, this man is trying to scare an army. And he can't. He won't. I've met the leader of that army. I've fought them. They got away. They only want something. But you can fight back. Fight the White Fang. They cannot beat what they don't know. Do not fall to them. They are led by a man named Roman Torchwick. He wears a white suit, uses a Canezooka, and has orange hair under a black bowler hat. Only fight him if he is with the White Fang" Said Hope, before he put No More Words over the speakers, and then walked back over to Penny. "Well, I've had enough fun for now. Let's go back too the motorised vehicle" Said Hope.

 _At the side of the stage, two armored soldiers see Penny, pointing her out and calling in backup. Penny backs away and then breaks into a dead run, as Hope follows._

"Penny! Wait! Where are you going?" Asked Hope.

 _Hope turns to look back at the soldiers chasing after her friend, and realizing Penny's situation, follows her in an attempt to catch up down the winding alley._

"Down here! She went this way!" Shouted a Atlas Soldier.

 _Penny and Hope run across the street with the soldiers following them, though a honking car nearly runs one over. He manages to brace his hands against the hood, which somehow stops the vehicle, and his partner runs along after the duo. Hope is still trying to catch up with Penny, but a high stack of crates on a flimsy support is easily cut down by Hope using Gambol Shroud, causing a wooden avalanche of boxes to block the path. Seeing Penny right ahead of him, Hope leaps into the air and lands on the alley wall, ricocheting off to grab Penny's hand._

"Come on! Let's go!" Declared Hope, as Hope and Penny run through the rest of the alleyway. "Yang's bike! We can make it" Said Hope. Suddenly, they run onto the street just as a truck is coming by and the honking is too late of a warning. Hope is about too be hit, but Penny pushes Hope across the street holds her palms out.

 _In the split second where the two make contact, the ground beneath Penny cracks and crumbles into pieces, and the From Dust Till Dawn truck is lifted a little ways into the air by the girl's sheer strength. She puts it down, and the Shopkeep stares in awe at the crumples in his hood, just like Hope who got saved._

"Wow, Penny" Said Hope. "Are you okay?" Asked Penny. "Uh-huh..." Said the Shopkeep.

 _Penny backs away, looking at Ruby's surprised expression, then at the bystanders murmuring to each other in an attempt to understand what just happened. In her panic, she runs from the Atlas soldiers still chasing her down and bumps into Hope, knocking Hope out of her stupor as her friend tries to get away again._

"Penny! Come back!" Shouted Hope, as he starts going after Penny as the people look at the destruction Penny caused with her bare hands and the soldiers find they lost their target. "Um... Uh..." Said Penny, as Hope comes up to Penny, exasperated. "Penny! Please! What is going on?! Why are you running? How did you do that?! THAT WAS AMAZING!" Shouted Hope. "I-I can't! Everything's fine! I-I don't want to talk about it!" Said Penny. "Penny, if you can just tell me what's wrong, I can help you" Said Hope. "No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..." Said Penny. "Penny. You can trust me. I'm one hundred percent with you. I don't care if you're gonna die tomorrow because you did that. I don't care if you're a fanus, I don't care if you're a god on earth. I just want to know if you're ok" Said Hope. "...You promise you're my friend?" Asked Penny. "... Yes. I am your friend" Said Hope, as Penny looks down at her hands. "Ruby... I'm not a real girl" Said Penny.

 _Penny shows Hope the toll of stopping the truck that would have killed her: Parts of her palm's skin have ripped away, revealing the gray metal underneath. Penny stares sadly at Hope's face, now completely exited by her friend's secret as all he can simply say before the screen goes black and the credits roll is..._

"Cool" Said Hope.


	16. Vol 2: Coup De Grâce

"Penny, this is amazing. But, how?" Asked Hope. "Most girls are born, but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura. I'm not real... You're taking this extraordinarily well" Said Penny, as Hope holds Penny's hands. "Penny, you are my friend. I mean, I find it fascinating that you're a robot. Amazing. Impossible even" Said Hope. "Ooohh... oh Hope! You're the best friend anyone could have!" Declared Penny, as she hugged Hope, and Hope did the same. "You're so perfect. No wonder your father would wanna protect you" Said Hope. "Oh, he's very sweet! My father's the one who built me! I'm sure you would love him!" Shouted Penny. "All by himself?" Asked Hope. "Well, he did get help from " Said Penny. "Him?! Wait... Is that why those soldiers were after you?" Asked Hope. "They like to protect me, too" Said Penny. "They don't think you can protect yourself?" Asked Hope. "They're not sure if I'm ready yet... One day, it will be my job to save the world, but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world, and test myself in the Tournament" Said Penny. "You're so called dad is a fear maker. He is trying to scare you into fighting. He should be scared of you" Said Hope. "Why?" Asked Penny. "Check down here!" Shouted a Solider. "You have to hide!" Shouted Penny. "Way ahead of you" Said Hope, as he faded away. "There she is!" Shouted a soldier. "Sal-u-tations, officers" Said Penny. "Why were you running? And what happened to the other dude?" Asked a soldier. "What dude? I was by myself all day" Said Penny. "You shouldn't cause such a scene" Said a soldier. "Are you okay?" Asked the other soldier. "Just a scratch" Said Penny, as she showed them her palms. "Penny, your father isn't going to be happy about this" Said a soldier. "Please, just come with us" Said the other soldier. "Ok" Said Penny.

 _Penny and the soldiers are heard walking away as Hope, on Yang's motercycle, looks on in sadness._

"Time to meet the small guy" Said Hope

 _Hope drives off._

 _In the ruined parts of Vale, the sound of an engine gets closer and closer until Bumblebee pulls into the street and stops just short of the camera, showing Hope behind the handlebars._

"Well. He's in here? Interesting" Said Hope, as he got off of Bumblebee.

 _The music from Junior's Club gets louder once inside to show Junior behind the bar adjusting his cuffs as his Henchmen stock the bottles, carry boxes, and otherwise stand around on the dance floor, until..._

"Close the door - he's coming!" Shouted a henchman. "What are you two idiots doing?!" Shouted Junior.

 _The Henchmen shout incoherently until an explosion knocks them to the ground and forces the doors open, allowing Hope to walk in through the smoke as "I Burn" starts playing._

"Guess who's here! Here right now! Hope is here! Tell a eaiiiiiiiiii..." Said Hope, as eight guns are pointed in her face with an equal number of angry Henchmen behind them. "Stop, stop! Nobody shoot. You! You're here! ...Why?" Asked Junior. "I need information. About Roman Torchwick" Said Hope. "I don't know anything about him" Said Junior. "How can you not know? My friend said your at the centre of every criminal web" Said Hope. "I haven't talked to him! I haven't even seen him since the night you first came in here. He paid up front, I lent him my men, and none of them ever. Came. Back" Said Junior. "Don't lie to someone like me. Tell me about him" Said Hope. "I already told you everything! Torchwick hired my boys, and I guess he wasn't happy with them, which is something I can relate to!" Shouted Junior. "I see. I guess you're not a lier then. Well, goodbye" Said Hope, as he stood up, and walked out of the bar, before getting on Bumblebee and driving away.

 _Hope's fingers trace three scratch marks on a wall before peeking around its corner and seeing a pair of horned Faunus as they are ushered into a building by a bearded man._

"I guess this is the place" Said Hope, as he put on a half mask and some fake rabbit ears.

 _He walks inside the building to a hallway filled with cases, seeing another man announcing "New recruits, keep to the right!" at the young pair as they follow._

"... Why? Why hide who you are, if you believe what you're doing is right? And use Grimm masks. If fear was a food, these people are the providers" Said Hope

 _The new recruits to the White Fang are moving in a line to the side of the stage, a mere few dozen compared to the hundreds of white-vested, black-hooded soldiers to their left and up above in the balconies. Hope looks around when they stop, and a fully-masked man with tattoos standing starts speaking before the large sheet emblazoned with the bloody wolf and claw marks._

"Thank you all for coming. For those of you who are joining us for the first time tonight, allow me to introduce a very special comrade of ours! I can assure you, he is the key to obtaining what we have fought for for so long!" Shouted the White Fang Lieutenant

 _The dark pants and brown shoes step forward before the orange tip of the Melodic Cudgel taps on the stage. The camera pans up to reveal none other than Roman, smiling confidently even as the crowd starts protesting._

"Thank you, thank you! Please, hold your applause!" Shouted Roman. "What's a human doing here?!" Asked an Antler Fanus, in front of Hope. "I'm glad you asked, "Deerie"" Said Roman. "Boo! You suck!" Shouted Hope. "I'm with the bunny dude!" Shouted the Antler Fanus. "Yeah!" Shouted the Crowd of White Fang Members. "...Now, I'll be the first to admit, humans... are the worst. Case in point. So, I understand why you would like to see us all locked away, or, better yet, killed! But, before the claws come out, I'd like to mention the fact that you and I all have a common enemy: the ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty, rotten humans that run our kingdoms!" Shouted Roman. "But humanity can change!" Shouted Hope, as he got up on stage. "Humans may not like Fanus, so what? The first reaction of a average human too something new will always be hate. Weather it be food, drink, movies, especially the remakes. You, sir" Said Hope, as he pointed at a White Fang member. "Yes?" Asked the White Fang Member. "What's a movie that you know that got remade?" Asked Hope. "Run Down a Mountain starring Aen Bafflik and Tousyfube" Said the White Fang Member. "Who? Anyway, witch one was better?" Asked Hope. "The original because they practically copied the script for the remake" Said the White Fang Member. "See. Hate. And for a stupid reason as well. If the remake has the same everything as the first one, then it should be just as good" Said Hope. "What are you doing!?" Asked Roman, as he slapped Hope, knocking him too the ground, causing the crowd to gasp, then growl at Roman. "Down Fidos!" Shouted Roman. "You're laughable. Stupid. Idiotic even" Said Hope, as he stood up. "Why you!" Shouted Roman, as he tried to slap Hope again, but Hope turned it into a armbar mid slap, and broke Roman's arm. "And now, you all go and choose your paths. Go from today and stop fighting for a human! Do what you chose" Said Hope, as everyone cheered and left. "Hum... all in a day's work for Hope. Didn't have too fight any..." Said Hope, as Neo appeared next to Hope. "You're not a Fanus, are you?" Asked Neo. "... Who are you?" Asked Hope. "I'm none of your concern" Said Neo, as she suddenly tried too hit Hope with it, but Hope blocked with Gambol Shroud. "An umbrella? Penguin?" Asked Hope, as he dodged the next attack from Neo. Hope then started shooting at Neo, but as soon as one bullet hit her, she shattered. "What?" Asked Hope. Suddenly, Neo kicked Hope in the back, knocking him down. "What? Teleportation?" Asked Hope. "Something like that" Said Neo, as Hope uses Ember Celia and started firing at Neo, but got the same results as last time. "I see your trick" Said Hope.

 _Suddenly, Hope got shot in the back by Roman, sending him flying across the room, through a wall._

"Well. This isn't going as planned..." Said Hope, as Roman and Neo walked out of the hole in the wall towards Hope. "And I'm down in the advantage..." Said Hope, as he held up a button, and pressed it.

 _Meanwhile, in Beacon_

Ruby, Weiss and Blake were sleeping, as Yang watched the door. Suddenly, the door opened, and Bumblebee was outside. "I guess this is Hope's doing" Said Yang, as she walked outside.

 _Meanwhile, with Hope_

Hope was being shot by Roman, with blood running out of his mouth. "You are pathetic! A waste of life! I can't believe some animal got the best of me!" Shouted Roman, as he continued shooting Hope. "This animal is a better person then you'll ever be" Said Hope, as he coughed up blood. Roman then went to kick Hope, when suddenly, a green shockwave went off, knocking Roman and Neo back, as a belt with a heart shaped belt buckle appeared between them. "What is this?..." Asked Hope, as he grabbed the belt and put it on. "... The Chalice Rouzer? Well, I guess this may as well do" Said Hope. Hope then held up the Evolution Paradoxa Rouze Card. "This would take me straight to Wild... no choice. Henshin!" Declared Hope, as he scanned the Evolution Paradoxa Rouze Card. "Wild!" Declared the Chalice Rouzer, as Hope transformed into Kamen Rider Chalice Wild Form. "My name is Hope. I'm gonna kick your butt. Understand?" Asked Hope, as he pointed the Wild Slashers at Roman and Neo. Roman then shot Hope multiple times, but Hope cut through all of the shots and ran over too Roman and cut his cane in half. Roman then ran away, scared. "He's a loser! A god damm loser!" Shouted Hope. Suddenly, Neo tried to kick Hope in the back, but Hope quickly turned around and grabbed her ankle, surprising Neo. Hope then tighten his grip, and Neo shattered. Neo then thrusted her umbrella at Hope, and Hope blocked with the Wild Slashers. "What's the matter? Don't like that guy? You were all talkative before" Said Hope. "I only talk to special people" Said Neo, before she vanished through a flash of white light. "... Where'd she go?" Asked Hope, as multiple laser beams shone apon his back. Hope then turned around, too see a giant battle suit, with the White Fang sigil on it. "Well... I guess Roman rused..." Said Hope.

 _Meanwhile, outside Hope was blasted onto the street, as Yang rolled up on Bumblebee_

"Hope?" Asked Yang. "Stay back" Said Hope, as he stood up. The giant mech then walked out of the building, and towards Hope. Hope then picked up his Wild Slashers, as the giant mech started firing at him with a mini gun. Hope then started running around, as he put a Wild Slasher back onto his belt. Hope eventually got to the back of the giant mechs legs, and cut it's supports, causing it to fall over. Suddenly, the mech fired some missiles into the air. Hope then put the two Wild Slashers into the Chalice Arrow, and fired at the missiles, destroying them. "You're not even a challenge. Weak" Said Hope, as he cut open the chest of the mech, revealing Roman to be inside. Hope then pulled him out of the controller seat, and threw him into a wall. Hope then raised a Wild Slasher above his head, and went to cut off Roman's head, but Yang grabbed his arm. "Hope, that's enough" Said Yang. "... I have a strong urge to kill him..." Said Hope, before he canceled his transformation. "Come on, let's go. You're really hurt" Said Yang. "Yeah..." Said Hope. "You can apologise in the morning" Said Yang. "... I just don't want any of you to do this. I want to be the one to prevent any unnecessary risk. I mean, just today, I made the people fight for themselves, helped the White Fang and possibly thirty percent of Vale's Fanuas population change there minds about humans, and maybe some other stuff" Said Hope, as he and Yang got on Bumblebee and started to drive away. "Yes, that may be true. But look at the state you're in. You practically almost died. And you stole Weiss's Scroll. You're lucky" Said Yang. "It's better me then any of you" Said Hope. "No. Hope, we are your teammates. And you are our leader. If you don't wanna do something, then you can tell us" Said Yang. "Yeah. But you won't listen" Said Hope.

 _A few minutes later, in the HRWBY dorm_

"Well, shall we get changed and go to bed?" Asked Yang. "Yep. Let me clean myself up first" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Yang, as Hope went into the bathroom. Hope then opened up a bottle of Painkillers, took one, swallowed it and drank a glass of water. Hope then looked in the mirrior, to see green blood on his lip. Hope then blinked, and then the blood was red.


	17. Vol 2: Honour

_Team HRWBY were in there dorm, all sitting on there beds, as Hope sat on a chair, looking at his team. Eventually, Blake stood up._

"So, you mean to tell me that you disapprove of us wanting to going out and stop a mad man from destroying peace!? While you went out and did what we would have done, all by yourself, while also preforming many crimes of your own!?" Asked Blake. "Seems you covered it, officer" Said Hope. "You're a hypocrite" Said Blake. "That's half true. I'm only a hypocrite if you didn't pay attention. Question. Did I sound interested in stopping the White Fang? Answer. No. Didn't say anything, in fact. Because there an army. Hell, yesterday, I'm pretty sure I just stopped all plans they had. Yesterday, I consoled a friend, I stopped a general from spreading fear and I hopefully made the White Fang more peaceful. If you want to call me a hypocrite for hopefully stopping the war before it started. Anyway... um, I've put your weapons back in your lockers. So, ah... I'm sorry guys. I just didn't want you to be killed" Said Hope.

 _Hope stood up and paced around, before stopping in front of the chair. He then looked at his friends, before Yang, Ruby and Weiss stood up._

"Hope. We understand why you did it. We just want you to realise that we can take care of ourselves" Said Ruby. "Yes, but, these were people who could kill you. They probably were trained" Said Hope. "Probably trained?" Asked Weiss. "I didn't get to fight them. I only fought Roman, some small child woman and a mech thing" Said Hope. "Small child woman?" Asked Blake. "I dunno!? She was small, adorable and looked like ice cream. A real cuter. I would date if not chaotic good" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Yang. "It's a nerd thing. Anyway. I promise that I will not do this again. I realised when I was with Penny that everyone needs a friend with them" Said Hope. "You were with Penny?" Asked Ruby. "Aw. That's cute" Said Hope. "What is?" Asked Ruby. "How do you like Penny?" Asked Hope. "Not in that way" Said Ruby, blushing. "Well, I wonder how everyone else is" Said Hope.

 _Meanwhile, on Beacon's rooftop, with a fierce yell, Emily swung her two swords at Jaune, as he blocked it with his shield. Jaune then attempted to hit Emily with his sword, but Emily blocked with one of her swords and then kneed Jaune in the gut. Emily then did a front flip, dropping her legs on Jaune's shoulders, knocking him down. Emily then pointed her swords at Jaune's back._

"I win" Said Emily. "How?" Asked Jaune. "You're not flexible enough to defend yourself. Nobody is. And I'd just stab you in your spine. Can't move with your spine in ten pieces" Said Emily. "Well, you have a point" Said Jaune. Emily then stood up, before Jaune stood up. "Well, what have you learned?" Asked Emily. "That you are the best fighter ever" Said Jaune. "... Yeah, that's true. Well, I did learn that front flip leg drop from Hope. And the arm-trap triangle choke. Hope had teached me things more amazing then I thought" Said Emily. "Well, I should go, shouldn't I?" Asked Jaune. "Yeah, you go. I'll stay here and think" Said Emily, before Jaune left.

 _Emily then attached her swords together, changing them into it's bladed staff form, before placing it onto her back. Emily paces a little until she hears a mocking laugh and Cardin appears on the roof from his window._

"Oh, Emily..." Said Cardin. "Cardin?" Asked Emily. "I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. So, you both snuck into Beacon, huh? I gotta say, Emily, I never expected you to be such a rebel" Said Cardin. "On no, you found out that I snuck in" Said Emily, sarcastically. "What?" Asked Cardin. "I mean, it wasn't the best kept secret" Said Emily. "Well, you work for me and I don't tell anyone about Jaune" Said Cardin. "Won't. You mean won't. And I, quite frankly, don't care who you tell. You have a reputation of being a bully and a lier. No one would believe you. Now, ave a nice day" Said Emily, before she left. "Well... plan B" Said Cardin.

 _Jaune was walking down the hall, about to enter his dorm, when Dove, Russel and Sky took Jaune into a closet, where Cardin was waiting._

"Thank you boys. Now, Jaune. I know that you snuck into Beacon" Said Cardin. "Please, Cardin, please, don't tell anyone" Begged Jaune. "Jaune, come on! I'd never rat on a friend like that" Said Cardin. "A... a friend?" Asked Jaune. "Of course! We're friends now, Jauney boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a longtime. That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy? That's what I thought. Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me" Said Cardin, as he and his team left.

 _A few days later, in the EJNPR dorm_

"Hey guys" Said Emily, as she entered her dorm. "Is Jaune with you?" Asked Pyrrha. "Nah" Said Emily. "How come Jaune gets home so late?" Asked Nora. "He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin" Said Ren. "Maybe he's just walking slower then usual. He might of pulled something" Said Emily. "Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest" Said Nora, as she proclaims this while twirling in midair so her back hits the covers. "I'm sure he knows exactly what he's doing" Said Pyrrha.

 _Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door._

"Mmmm... potentially" Said Nora.

 _Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as a voice interrupts his thoughts._

"Hey, Jaune! Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?" Asked Ruby, in her pajamas. "Oh, uh, nope! Got it" Said Jaune. "Good. So. Where have you been lately?" Said Ruby. "I, uh... I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and... I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea. I'm a failure" Said Jaune, depressed. "Nope" Said Ruby. "Nope?" Asked Jaune. "Nope! Jaune, you should never measure yourself by how big of a failure you are. That's what me, Weiss, Blake and Yang thought we were a week ago to Hope. But, Hope told us the truth. He said that we should never think of our failures, only our victories" Said Ruby. "But... what if my victories are my failures?" Asked Jaune. "Nope" Said Ruby. "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff" Said Jaune. "Nope. Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid... and you might've even been a failure the first day we met. But, you can't be one now. You know why?" Asked Ruby. "Uhhh, because...?" Asked Jaune. "Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us. We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a person like you, Jaune. Have a good night, Jaune!" Said Ruby, as she went into her dorm.

 _With new energy, Jaune pushes himself off the ground and faces the door, ready to turn the knob and face his team, but his scroll beeps and he pulls it off of his side to open it, seeing Cardin's contact relaying a message._

"Hey! It's your buddy Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I gave you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps. And make sure they've got some really big stingers! It's important, so don't screw this up!"

 _Jaune closes his scroll just when it begins to beep again. Sighing, he wearily heads down the hallway and away from his room._

 _An overhead shot of a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks is seen as the camera descends and shows Glynda leading teams HRWBY, EJNPR, and CRDL through the area._

"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so"

 _The group stops, and Jaune, grunting and carrying a large case with six empty glass jars on top, tries to catch up with them and ends up bumping into Cardin. The bully scowls at Jaune, who attempts to feign innocence by whistling tunelessly._

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun" Said Glynda.

 _While Yang Xiao Long and her sister smile at one another, Jaune attempts to (noisily) sneak away from Cardin to his team, but the blackmailer sees this and grabs Jaune by the back._

"Come on, buddy - let's go!" Said Cardin.

 _Jaune miserably looks up at his team, where Nora and Ren are already walking into the forest's depths and Pyrrha is staring sadly at the scene. Dropping his gaze, Jaune turns and follows CRDL, to the disappointment of a sighing Pyrrha before she continues on._

 _Team CRDL is making themselves as comfortable as possible by leaning on stones, trees, and the ground while Jaune returns to the group with six full jars, setting them down just as he collapses face-down. The surrounding team gets up in response._

"Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" Asked Cardin. "I think I'm allergic to this stuff..." Said Jaune. "Greeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?" Asked Cardin. "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes" Said Jaune. "Well, come with me, and you'll find out" Said Cardin.

 _Jaune moans and gulps in worry._

 _Now perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students, team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peak their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap. Ren, kneeling to collect it from a tree, passes a full jar to Nora, who "Mmmm!"s at the gift as Ren trades it for the other jar in her care. He turns back to the tree and starts filling it up while several licking sounds are heard off-screen until the camera pans back to Nora, now with an embarrassed smile covered in red and an empty jar in her hands._

"Cardin, wh-what's going on?" Asked Jaune. "Payback" Said Cardin. "Hope...? Wh-what are you-?" Asked Jaune. "That's the guy. Brown-haired know-it-all, thinks he's so tough. Alright, boys... last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work" Said Cardin.

 _Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness._

"Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things loooove sweets" Said Cardin, as Hope is seen finishing her sap collection, before talking to Yang. "I'm thinking it's time we teach him a thing or two" Said Cardin.

 _The members of CRDL get up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet and shove the jar into his grasp._

"And you're gonna do it" Said Cardin. "Do what?" Asked Jaune. "Hit him with the sap! Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon" Said Cardin.

 _Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hands and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Hope, trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do._

"No" Said Jaune. "What did you say?" Asked Cardin. "I said... NO!" Shouted Jaune.

 _He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hands to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap. Cardin, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly._

"Oh, you've done it now..." Said Cardin.

 _Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in an attempt for defense as Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark grab Jaune's shoulders and pull him in so his terrified eyes can fill the screen before it goes dark and the credits roll._


	18. Vol 2: Instincts

_Jaune Arc gets pushed to the ground of Forever Fall right after the events of the "Forever Fall", groaning as he looks up and sees a sap-covered Cardin looming over him. The bigger warrior picks Jaune up by his front and grins while punching him back to the ground._

"You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy" Said Cardin, as he picks up a bruised Jaune again while the rest of Team CRDL watches. "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces" Said Cardin. "I don't care what you do to me... but you are not messing with my friends" Said Jaune. "What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?" Asked Cardin, as Jaune smiles in defiance.

 _An enraged Cardin roars and raises his fist again, but just as the hit connects, a bright light shines from Jaune, and when the white fades from the screen, Cardin is crying out in pain as he holds his hand. Jaune, now back on the ground but completely healed, looks confusedly at his hands as they faintly glow white. While he stares, though, Sky Lark attempts to kicks Jaune in the back, but Jaune quickly rolled over and grabbed Sky's leg and rolled back over, making Sky fall over._

"Wow. I guess Emily's first lesson really is true" Said Jaune, as he stood up. Russel and Dove then quickly restrained Jaune. "Let's see how much of a man you really are..." Said Cardin.

 _Just as he says this, a low growl is heard, and a surprised Team CRDL turns around and sees a large paw crash onto the scene, belonging to a huge Ursa Major with dozens of jagged spikes sticking out from its wide back. It leaps forward and stands over the terrified students, lifting its head in the air to smell the sap on Cardin's breastplate. It lands back on its forelegs and roars at Cardin while his teammates heroically flee._

"That's a big Ursa!" Shouted Russel.

 _Cardin is rooted to the spot when the Grimm swings its claws and knocks him sideways, revealing Jaune cowering behind him. The Ursa continues to sniff, uninterested in Jaune and following its nose to Cardin. He watches at it towers over Cardin, who gets his wits and pulls out his mace weapon only for the monster to swipe it away to Jaune's feet. He looks conflicted, wondering whether to fight or run away._

 _Meanwhile, the roar of the giant Ursa is heard by the members of Teams HRWBY and EJNPR, still collecting sap on the other side of the forest._

"Did you guys hear that?" Asked Ruby. "Yeah, wonder what it was. Probably a cat" Said Hope.

 _Suddenly, the remaining members of Team CRDL are seen running the other way from the roar through the other students._

"Ursa! Ursa!" Said Russel, as he runs into Yang accidentally. "What?! Where?" Asked Yang. "Back there! It's got Cardin!" Said Russel. "Jaune!" Shouted Pyrrha. "Hum... ok. Me, Emily, Pyrrha and Ruby will go and help them" Said Hope. "What about us?" Asked Weiss. "Stay here. Continue doing the work. If we don't return in 10 or so minutes, get Glynda" Said Hope. "Same as he said" Said Emily, before Hope, Emily, Pyrrha and Ruby ran in the direction Russel came from.

 _Cardin is attempting to run from the following Ursa, but it leaps over its prey and claws him away. He tries to get up and crawl away._

"Crap! Crap, crap!" Shouted Cardin. "Oh, no!" Shouted Pyrrha, as she, Emily, Hope and Ruby arrived.

 _They watch as the Ursa leans over the helpless victim, raising its paw and swiping it down... only to be blocked by Jaune's shield, Crocea Mors. He struggles to defend a stunned Cardin from its attempts to lean on him, but Emily lifts her bladed staff as she prepares to go help._

"Wait" Said Pyrrha. "No time to wait" Said Hope, as he put on the Chalice Rouzer, and roused the Evolution Paradoxa Rouze Card, changing him into Wild Chalice.

 _Jaune takes the shield out from the Ursa's paw and slashes at its stomach, causing it to lash out and try to crush him. He rolls out of the way and jumps over its swipe at his feet, but he is unprepared for when it launches a claw at him in midair. He lands far away, yet is immediately back on his feet and passing Cardin as he charges again. The Ursa knocks Jaune behind it when he tries for a leaping attack, and he looks at the scroll in his shield to find out that his Aura level is in the red. The Ursa then charged at Jaune, but suddenly, Hope blocked the charge with his foot._

"Well well well. What might you be? A Ursa, huah? Well, I must admit. I am impressed with what you did to my friend. He is... an B plus fighter with the attitude of a A grade fighter and the skill of a E minus fighter, so, make of him what you will. So, I must say. Night" Said Hope, before he stabbed the Ursa in the back of the head with both Wild Slashers, killing it. "Hope?" Asked Jaune. "Yeah?" Asked Hope. "Thanks" Said Jaune. "I'm sorry" Said Hope. "Why?" Asked Jaune. "Because. I knew you would of killed it" Said Hope, as he cancelled his transformation. "Hope! Was that..." Said Emily. "Yep" Said Hope, as he walked towards Emily. "But..." Said Emily. "I know" Said Hope.

 _Cardin, still covered in sap, looks up at Jaune as his savior offers a hand. Cardin smiles as he takes it and is lifted back up on his feet._

"Holy crap, Jaune" Said Cardin. "Don't ever mess with my friends ever again. Got it?" Asked Jaune. "Come on, Jaune" Said Hope, before Jaune walked away from Cardin.

 _Cardin looks intimidated, possibly even apologetic. With his order spoken, Jaune turns and walks away from a frozen Cardin._

 _Later that night, on top of the dorm building, a uniformed Jaune stands on the edge and looks into the distance at the green lights of Beacon._

"No Cardin, hum? Wow. I thought you two were friends. Thank god" Said Emily, as she walked over to Jaune with Pyrrha. "Emily, Pyrrha... I'm sorry. I was a jerk! You were only trying to be nice, and... I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head" Said Jaune. "Meh. It's fine. But Jaune. I do have something to tell you. I'm not going to be teaching you anymore" Said Emily. "What?" Asked Jaune. "I've teached you all that could help you. But it's ok. Pyrrha will now be teaching you" Said Emily. "Hello again" Said Pyrrha, before Emily left. "Well, ah, what can you teach me?" Asked Jaune.

 _Pyrrha goes up to Jaune and suddenly pushes him to the ground._

"Hey!" Shouted Jaune. "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground. And you need to always expect an attack" Said Pyrrha, as she offers him her hand, which he graciously accepts, and they continue to hold on to and grin at each other. "Let's try that again" Said Jaune.

 _The camera moves above the two and on the night sky over the school before the scene cuts to black and the credits roll._


	19. Vol 2: Extracurricular

_The scene opens to Pyrrha gearing up in a locker room. As she walks out of the locker room, we cut to her sparring with Cardin Winchester and back again. Eventually, the fight scene includes the other members of Team CRDL. While she is still exiting toward the arena, the scene cuts to her spar with Team CRDL._

 _Pyrrha launches her spear at Dove Bronzewing and then knocks Sky Lark to the ground. Cardin unleashes a short column of fire from the red Dust crystal in his mace before he and Sky attempt to double-team Pyrrha._

 _Pyrrha throws her shield, which hits Cardin in the face and bounces back to hit Sky as well. She then flips backward through the air to land on Sky, incapacitating him. Dove and Russel Thrush rush her together, but she is able to drive them back as Cardin leaps in to smash at her with his mace._

 _Pyrrha opens fire with rifle-form Miló, but Russel covers Cardin, deflecting every shot with his daggers. He and Dove charge at Pyrrha, with Russel leaping into the air and performing a triple somersault; however, the attack is easily deflected. Russel and Dove proceed to strike at Pyrrha together, demonstrating precision through their ability to avoid hitting one another during the attack. Cardin attempts to capitalize on the distraction, but is unable to keep up with Pyrrha. Russel ducks in under Cardin for a surprise attack, but also proves himself unable to wear her down._

 _Dove moves in after Russel is knocked to the ground. After a couple of deflected swipes, he fires on her with his sword, but she is able to bull right through using her shield. Although he is able to avoid her attack, Dove finds himself knocked out of the fight by an errant swing from Cardin, who moves in for one final assault. Pyrrha knocks Cardin into the air and then leaps to slam him into the ground._

 _Glynda approaches from behind Cardin who clutches his ribs._

"And that's the match. Pyrrha wins via Aura Depletion of Opponents" Said Glynda. "Lucky shot" Said Cardin, before he collapsed. "Well done, Miss Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament" Said Glynda. "Thank you, professor" Said Pyrrha. "Alright, now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers? Ms. Belladonna?" Said Glynda, as Blake slams her book shut and stares wide-eyed at Glynda. "You've been rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you" Said Glynda.

 _Hope raises his hand._

"I'll do it" Said Hope. "Hope. Well, let's find you an opponent" Said Glynda. "Actually, I wanna fight... them" Said Hope.

 _Hope points to Pyrrha and Murcury._

"Me?" Asked Pyrrha and Murcury. "I'm afraid Miss Nikos has just finished the match. I recommend you choose another partner" Said Glynda. "No, it's fine! I'd be happy to oblige" Said Pyrrha. "Yeah, same" Said Murcury.

 _Hope, Pyrrha and Murcury stand apart from each other, all watching each other. Pyrrha holding Milò and her shield, Murcury looking cocky and Hope holding Gambol Shroud, surprising Blake. A buzzer sounds, and Hope immediately kicks Murcury in the face, knocking him out._

"Ok. Now it's just us" Said Hope, as he points Gambol Shroud at Pyrrha. "Well, he went quick" Said Ruby. "Yeah. Hope must have strong feet or something" Said Yang. "Well, he was a fast runner. Had to be. Everyday, the old lady down the street from where he lived tried to cane him. And I tought him all I know in fighting. The most innovative man I know" Said Emily.

 _Pyrrha threw her shield at Hope, but Hope caught it with Gambol Shroud. Hope then looked up, to see Pyrrha, with Milò in Rifle Mode, aiming at him. Pyrrha then started shooting at him, but Hope put Pyrrha's Shield in between himself and the bullets, blocking the bullets. Hope then put Gambol Shroud's sheath down, and put Pyrrha's Shield on his arm._

"Well? Come on then. The infamous Pyrrha is too slow for someone like me? Meh" Said Hope. "He does know how many things Pyrrha has won, right? 3 time Sanctum Tournament Winner, 7 time Queen of the Mountain, 1 time King of the Mountain and Vale Magazine's 2nd most influential person of the past decade" Said Weiss. "Who was first?" Asked Yang. "Some kid from Patch" Said Weiss.

 _Hope and Pyrrha clashed weapons a few times, before Hope kneed Pyrrha in the gut and then kicked her in the gut, before drop kicking her shield into her chest. Pyrrha suddenly slashed at Hope multiple times, before knocking him down with a shield bash, making him drop Gambol Shroud. Pyrrha then threw her spear at Hope, but Hope quickly dodged, and put on the Chalice Rouzer._

"How... How did you get that?" Asked Pyrrha, fearfully. "What? Why are you scared? It's just a belt, I guess" Said Hope, before he used the Evolution Paradoxa Rouse Card, to transform into Wild Chalice.

 _Hope then took the two Wild Slashers from his back, and rapidly attacked Pyrrha with them, witch Pyrrha blocked with her shield. Hope then quickly kicked Pyrrha in the head, before knocking her shield away. Hope then swung at Pyrrha with the Wild Slashers again, but Pyrrha blocked with Milò. Hope then pulled Pyrrha towards himself, before drop kicking her, disarming her of Milò, and knocking her down. Hope then ran towards Pyrrha, knocking her out with a running knee strike._

"And that's the match. Hope wins via Double K.O" Said Glynda, as Hope canceled his transformation. "Thank god" Said Hope, as he picked up Gambol Shroud and waked up his opponents.

 _An alarm sounds which jolts Blake who has nodded off._

"That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses" Said Glynda.

 _Outside, SSSN are standing at the entrance as Team HRWBY walks past. Sun notices Blake and runs after her._

"Hey, Blake! You uh, doing okay?" Asked Sun. "I'm fine" Said Blake. "So I hear that there's this dance going on this weekend, and it sounds pretty lame, but you and me, I'm thinking, not as lame, huh?" Asked Sun "What?" Asked Blake. "The dance! This weekend! You wanna go, or what?" Asked Sun. "I don't have time for a stupid dance. I thought you of all people would get that" Said Blake.

 _Blake walks away past her team. Sun sinks from his rejection._

 _The scene shifts to team HRWBY's dorm room. Blake is sitting with her arms crossed. Hope is not in the room._

"You what?" Asked Blake. "We want you to go to the dance" Said Ruby. "That's ridiculous" Said Blake. "Blake, we're worried about you. This investigation is starting to mess with your head" Said Yang. "You can't sleep, you hardly eat, and to be honest, your grades have been suffering" Said Weiss. "You think I care about grades? People's lives are at stake!" Shouted Blake, as she pointed out the window.

 _Yang puts her hand on Blake's, lowering it._

"So?" Asked Hope, as he entered. "Give me back Gambol Shroud. Now!" Shouted Blake. "No. If you think that you're getting it back in the condition your in, think again" Said Hope. "Blake, you won't be able to find anything if you can't even keep your eyes open" Said Ruby. "All we're asking is that you take it easy for one day" Said Hope. "It will be fun! Yang and I will make sure of it" Said Weiss. "Yeah. We're planning the whole event" Said Yang

 _Yang pumps her fists which causes the bed to bounce Blake._

"Excuse me?" Asked Blake. "Team CFVY's away mission lasted quite longer than expected" Said Weiss. "So, Weiss and I decided to pick up where they left off. And now we can make sure you can have the perfect night" Said Yang. "And once it's all over, we'll return for our search, rested and ready" Said Hope. "So what do ya think?" Asked Ruby. "I think this is a colossal waste of time" Said Blake.

 _Blake walks away from the group and opens the dorm door._

"I'll be in the library" Said Blake.

 _She walks out of the room._

"Ruby. Make sure Blake gets some food in her, ok?" Asked Hope. "... Ok, Hope" Said Ruby, before she walked out of the room, after Blake. "Great" Said Weiss. "She can't keep going on like this" Said Yang.

 _There's a knock at the door and Hope approaches and opens it. Jaune appears at the door with a guitar._

"Weiss!" Sung Jaune.

 _Weiss slams the door in his face._

"... I was gonna do that" Said Hope. "Oh, ok, you wanna do it this time?" Asked Weiss. "Yep" Said Hope.

 _Weiss opens the door._

"Weiss Schu-nee, will you accompany me, to the dance on... Sunday!" Sung Jaune, before Hope shut the door. "All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name. Besides, I already have a date in mind" Said Weiss. "Can't be me" Said Hope. "Not you" Said Weiss. "Date or no date, none of this will matter if we can't get Blake to go" Said Yang

 _That night, Pyrrha and Jaune are sparring at their spot on the roof. Jaune appears to gain the upper hand until Pyrrha sweeps his legs out from under him._

"Well done! Your swordplay's improved immensely" Said Pyrrha.

 _Pyrrha helps Jaune to his feet._

"I couldn't have done it without you. Or Emily" Said Jaune. "So, are you ready to move on to Aura?" Asked Pyrrha. "I'm actually thinking that maybe we skip Aura for tonight? Might go on a jog or something" Said Jaune. "Come on, I know you get frustrated. But you must keep trying. I'm sure you'll discover your Semblance any day now" Said Pyrrha. "That's not it. It's just... It's dumb" Said Jaune. "What is it? Jaune, you know you can tell me" Said Pyrrha. "It's... Weiss" Said Jaune. "Oh. What about her?" Asked Pyrrha. "I asked her to the dance and she shot me down. Big surprise, right?" Asked Jaune. "Well, I believe the saying goes: There's... plenty of fish in the sea" Said Pyrrha. "That's easy for you to say. You've probably got guys clamoring over each other just to ask you out" Said Jaune. "You'd be surprised" Said Pyrrha.

 _Jaune dismisses the thought._

"Oh please. If you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress. Heh" Said Jaune.

 _He walks away. Pyrrha drops her smile and looks rather upset._


	20. Vol 2: Evercharge

_The opening ends to the view of Hope resting his head on his hand and staring into the distance before he's startled by someone slamming their palms on the table he's at._

"Oh! Hi, Weiss" Said Hope, as he sits up. "I need you to pick a tablecloth" Said Weiss, as she slides two squares over to Hope, both seeming to be similar shades of white. "Um... the one on the right" Said Hope. "Thank you Hope" Said Weiss.

 _Weiss walks out of the scene as Yang comes in carrying a massive sound speaker on her shoulder, which bounces Hope and the table he's sitting at to jump in the air when she drops it on the ground._

"So, have you picked out a suit yet?" Asked Yang. "I don't wear suits. I will put on a bow tie though" Said Hope. "What? That doesn't make it any better" Said Yang. "Bow ties make everything fancy. You're just walking down the street, then suddenly, you're getting robbed. Only way too make that more fancy? Bow ties. Fancy car crash, one of them were wearing a bow tie... yep" Said Hope. "You may have a point" Said Yang. "But what's the point? Who cares about the dance if Blake isn't going?" Asked Weiss. "Um, hate to say it, but pretty much everyone. I mean, I only know of about a total of ten people who care. Me, Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Sun... mainly because he loves her, Jaune, Emily, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren. I don't know if Ren cares about anything" Said Hope. "Oh, don't worry; she's going. Weiss! I thought we agreed: No doilies!" Shouted Yang. "If I don't get doilies, you don't get fog machines!" Shouted Weiss. "Your dance is gonna have fog machines?" Asked Neptune, as he and Sun walked towards them. "We were thinking about it..." Said Weiss. "That's pretty cool" Said Neptune. "You ladies all excited for dress-up?" Asked Sun. "Pfft... Yeah, right" Said Hope. "Laugh all you want. I'll be turning heads tomorrow night" Said Yang. "What are you two wearing?" Asked Weiss. "Uuhhh... this?" Asked Sun. "He has a point, I'm wearing a bow tie!" Shouted Hope. "Ignore him for he knows not what he says" Said Neptune. "Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I grew up in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt-and-tie kind of place" Said Sun "Yeah, we noticed" Said Yang. "I like his style. He's probably dated many people... 70% men" Said Hope. "... Too high. Way too high. Soooo... what does Blake think of all this? She still being all, y'know... Blake-y?" Asked Sun. "Obviously" Said Weiss. "I still can't think of a way to change her mind" Said Yang. "Guys. Trust me; Blake will be at the dance tomorrow. Operation HeartNiHeart is in effect. Hopefully" Said Hope, as he relaxed on his chair and table

 _The Faunus herself is sitting at one of the library tables with a holographic screen in front of her. She is obviously more sleep-deprived than ever, barely focusing on what she's seeing... until a small, bright red light appears on the screen. Moving up and down, Blake's eyes follow it down to her hand, then disappears entirely. She looks behind herself, obviously irritated, but no one walking among the tables is her culprit. Turning back to the computer, she starts typing on the beeping keyboard before the laser dot appears on her hand briefly, prompting her to look around again and still find no one. The red point shows up on the screen, moving around in circles until Blake scowls and pounds her fists on the table. She stands up from her chair and finds the light on the floor, following it blindly through shelves of books until both the dot and its pursuer turn the corner, only for Blake to bump, shocked and shaken out of her more "animal" instincts, into..._

"He-lloooo!" Said Ruby. "What are you...?" Asked Blake. "This way now" Said Ruby, as she grabbed Blake's arm and amid Blake's single cry of surprise, Ruby whisks her partner out of the scene.

 _Emerging from the steaming bathroom in nothing but a pink towel wrapped around his lower body, Ren sighs in contentedness and starts walking away, only to be stopped by Jaune suddenly appearing in front of him._

"We need to talk!" Shouted Jaune.

 _And with that, amid Ren's single cry of surprise, Jaune pulls his teammate away, leaving his bottle of "Samurai Shampoo" to spin in the air before dropping to the ground._

"Ren... I'm just gonna say it. You are one of my best friends. These past few months, I feel like we've really bonded, even though you don't say much. I mean, you're really quiet. To be perfectly honest, I don't know that much about you, personally, but darnit, I consider you to be the brother I never had!" Shouted Jaune, as he and Ren sat on a bed.

 _Camera pans out enough to see that he is still only wearing his towel and looking extremely uncomfortable, but he still nods and smiles to Jaune when he's done_

"And I you" Said Ren, who tries to be attentive from then on, but keeps glancing at his usual outfit hanging by the door

"Which is why I wanted to get your advice on... girls" Said Jaune. "Girls?" Asked Ren, as he sounds surprised, but starts reaching out for his clothes while Jaune is looking away."I just... don't know... how to... girls. Um, I-I guess what I'm asking is... Well, how did you and Nora... y'know..." Said Jaune, as Ren puts his hand down after almost touching the green robe, but looks even more awkward now. "Uh... uh... uh..." Said Ren."We're actually not together-together..." Said Nora. "NORA I SAID HEADPHONES ON!" Shouted Jaune, before Nora put her headphones on. "Jaune, what is this all about?" Asked Ren. "... It's Weiss. I'm completely head-over-heels for her, and she won't even give me a chance. She's cold, but she's also incredible. She's smart, and graceful, and talented. I mean, have you heard her sing? I-I just wish she's take me seriously, y'know? I wish I could tell her how I feel without messing it all up" Said Jaune. "Do it like this. Ren, could you please put clothes on!?" Asked Emily. "I thought you'd never ask!" Exclaimed Ren, before he quickly went into the bathroom with his clothes. "Then do it" Said Pyrrha, as she walked into the room. "Uh, wha?" Asked Jaune. "Tell her exactly what you said. No ridiculous schemes, no pick-up lines. Just... be honest" Said Pyrrha. "But what if I" Said Jaune. "Jaune. You can't get it wrong if it's the truth" Said Pyrrha. "You're right. Thanks, Pyrrha!" Shouted Jaune, as he left the room.

 _Jaune closes the door. Upon doing so, Pyrrha becomes noticeably less cheerful as she walks over to her desk, with a concerned Nora watching her with sad eyes._

"Practice what you preach, Pyrrha" Said Nora, as Ren left the bathroom, clothed. "Oh, thank god, I hate it when unexpected naked happens" Said Emily.

"Ruby, if you're going to tell me to stop, you may as well save your breath" Said Blake, as Rubby, sitting cross-legged on the central desk of the empty classroom they're in, orange light shining across her calm features. "I don't want you to stop; I want you to slow down" Said Ruby. "I don't have the luxury to slow down" Said Blake. "It's not a luxury; it's a necessity" Said Ruby. "The "necessity" is stopping Torchwick" Said Blake. "And we're going to. But first you have to sit down and listen to what I have to say" Said Ruby, as she pats the part of the desk across from her. Blake looks away for a moment until she relents and drapes her legs over the desk's edge. "Fine" Said Blake. "Yang and I grew up in Patch, an island off the coast of Vale. Our parents were Huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom took on missions around the kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose, and she was, like... Super-Mom: Cookie Baker and Monster Slayer. And then... one day she left for a mission and never came back. It was tough. I was really torn up, but... I think i was still too young to really get what was going on, y'know? And my dad just kind of... shut down. It wasn't long before I learned why. Summer wasn't the first love he lost; she was the second. The first... was Yang's mom. Raven. The toughest person that my dad knew. He wouldn't tell Yang everything, but she learned that the two of them had been on a team together with Summer and Qrow, and that she'd left Yang with him right after Yang was born. No one had seen her since" Said Ruby. "Why did she leave your Dad?" Asked Blake. "Yang didn't know an answer, but she was determined to find out. It was all she thought about. She would ask anyone she could about what they knew about her" Said Ruby.

The scene shifts to a flat-painted flashback of a young Yang, with orange bows holding her brunette pigtails, looking at the photo found in a smashed picture frame.

"Then, one day, she found something. What she thought was a clue that could lead her to answers, or maybe even her mother" Said Ruby.

 _The next shot shows Yang walking down a long winding path through the towering trees shedding their leaves with a little creaking wagon pulled right behind her, Ruby in a crimson hood sleeping soundly inside._

"She waited for Dad to leave the house, put me in a wagon, and headed out. She walked for hours. She had cuts and bruises, was totally exhausted, but she wasn't gonna let anything stop her. That's how strong my sister is! When she finally got us there, she could barely stand, but she probably didn't care; She made it. And then she saw them. Those burning red eyes..." Said Ruby.

 _In the shadows of the worn-down house the siblings had arrived at, beastly red shapes glow from the darkness._

"There we were: A toddler sleeping in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served on a silver platter. But, as luck would have it, as Yang told me, a man in a red suit with a black jacket showed up just in time" Said Ruby.

 _As the Beowolves leap into the air to devour their young prey, the familiar sound of "Mega Mabushī! Mega Mabushī! Mega Mabushī! Mega Mabushī! Toucon Dai Kaigan! Mega! Omega Flash!" before many vermillion lasers hit the Beowolves, turning them into dust before the young Yang and Ruby. "Hello, Yellow and Red. Now, Yellow. I want you to open this letter when you met a man. Now, I don't mean a man that you will love, but a man with red and white hair" Said a man in a red suit with a black jacket, as he walked towards young Yang and Ruby, and kneeled in front of Yang, before he gave her a letter and took off his helmet. "A man with this face. A man that will make you feel many emotions. And a man who you will see grow. But, as for right now?..." Said the man, as the suit changed colour, into a sparkling white one, with a white jacket. "... you need to slow down. And feel an amazing emotion. Yorokobi. Joy" Said the man._

"That man saved us that day. Yang says she doesn't remember anything after that. She's kept that letter ever since. Trying to find that man. She hasn't found him yet, but she assumes that he's at this school" Said Ruby. "Ruby... I'm sorry that happened to you, and I understand what you're trying to tell me, but this is different. I'm not a child, and this isn't just a search for answers! I can't just-" Said Blake. "Blake, I'm not telling you to stop! To this day, Yang hasn't! She still want to know what happened to our mothers and why her mother left her, but she's never let that search control her. You'll both find the answers you're looking for. But if you destroy yourselves in the process, what good are you?" Asked Yang. "You don't understand! I'm the only one who can do this! You're just a kid!" Shouted Blake. "If Roman Torchwick walked through that door, what would you do?" Asked Ruby. "I'd fight him!" Shouted Blake. "You can't!" Shouted Ruby, before she pushes Blake away. "I can stop him!" Shouted Blake, before she tiredly tries to do the same to Ruby, but she doesn't even budge. "You can't even stop me!" Shouted Ruby.

 _She pushes Blake again, knocking her to land on the desk. Ruby, walks toward Blake as she gets up, and embraces her in a hug._

"I'm not asking you to stop. Just please, get some rest. Not just for you, but for the people you care about. And if you feel like coming out tomorrow, Hope and Yang said that they'd save you a dance. Please Blake. Come tomorrow" Said Ruby.

 _Ruby winks down at Blake, and Blake stares at Ruby as she leaves before sighing heavily and walking away, leaving the all-seeing eye on the board._

 _The white rose in Jaune's hand bounces up and down as its smiling owner walks through Beacon Academy until he stops at the entrance of a hallway with the sound of a certain voice, causing him to duck behind the columns outside._

"Neptune" Said Weiss. "Oh, uh, hey, what's up?" Asked Neptune. "I know this is a little unorthodox, but... I wanted to ask you something" Said Weiss, as she puts her hands behind her back trying to look innocent as Jaune drops his smile and recoils at the oncoming words. "Would you... like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?" Asked Weiss.

 _While Neptune rubs the back of his head and smiles with raised eyebrows, Jaune loses all of his confidence and drops the rose on the ground before walking back from where he came from._

 _The sight of the lonely, abandoned rose turns into a large collection of the same flowers (one dropping outward) in a large vase behind Yang, now in a short white dress with black heels as she stands at a podium. The doors in front of her open and she flips out upon seeing who walks in._

"Ooohh, you look beautiful!" Declared Yang, as she looked at Hope and Emily, with Hope in his normal attire, with a bow tie, and Emily in a white tux. "We dressed each other. It was fun. She put me in this, I put her in that, no fuss" Said Hope, as Ruby groans as she looks distressed in her red dress with black lace, belt, and pumps. "Can we have a serious talk about how Weiss fights in these?" Asked Ruby, as she tries to maintain her balance as she walks to the podium, much to her laughing sister's amusement. "Well, now I feel bad" Said Hope.

 _Meanwhile outside, Sun is seen walking around and wearing a new black jacket (now closed up) with a white tie hung around his neck, which he proceeds to fight with before going inside._

"Stupid... dumb... neck trap!" Shouted Sun. "I knew you'd look better in a tie" Said Blake.

 _Sun stops his struggling and stares at the dark purple dress and bright blue bow worn by Blake, now looking like she traded her dark bags for violet eyeshadow, as she steps forward and takes him by the arm._

"Sooo, does this mean we're going... together?" Asked Sun. "Technically, though my first two dances are spoken for" Said Blake.

 _Inside the ballroom, streamers are hung through glass chandeliers, pink and blue balloons are everywhere, and students in dark suits and bright dresses are stepping with each other to the music between the white-clothed tables. Blake is spun around by Hope before they bow to one another, and Sun comes up and takes his date's hands as Hope gestures for him to do so. Hope goes to hang with Ruby, Yang and Weiss (in a similar white dress as Yang's) in the back of the room, watching Blake laugh and enjoy herself before smiling at her team._

"I told you she would come" Said Hope. "Mission accomplished" Said Weiss. "Hope? How'd were you so confident that she'd come?" Asked Yang. "Manipulation. Three parts emotion. Two parts suggestion, and one hundred percent truth" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Ruby. "Nah, just kidding" Said Hope. "Soooo, what do we do now?" Asked Ruby. "Have fun" Said Hope, as he proceeds to walk away and do so, with Weiss and Yang going the opposite direction and leaving Ruby behind. "Does that mean I can change out of these stupid things and into my hood now? Stupid lady stilts!" Shouted Ruby. "Not enjoying yourself?" Asked Ozpin. "Oh, no, everything's fine! I'm just not much of a fancy pantsy... dancey girl" Said Ruby. "Well, you can't spend your whole life on the battlefield, even if you may want to" Said Ozpin. "Yeah, that lesson's been floating around a lot lately" Said Ruby, annoyed. "If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren't so different. Two partners interlocked, although one wrong move on the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot" Said Ozpin. "Or a twisted ankle" Said Ruby. "It's not every day that friends are able to come together like this. Time has a way of testing our bonds, but it's nights like these that can help keep them stronger than ever. Nights like these are ones we'll never forget" Said Ozpin.

 _Ruby smiles at the words of wisdom, but turns her head at the sound of the doors opening. Yang is back behind the podium, and smiles at the new arrivals._

"You guys are just in time" Said Yang, as Murcury and Emerald step in with their ballroom best on. "Wouldn't miss it for the world" Said Murcury.


	21. Vol 2: Dance Dance Infiltration

_After the opening, the first scene is of random students schmoozing at the dance. Bartholomew Oobleck is shown to be listening intently as Peter Port laughs over some unheard anecdote. Ozpin is standing off to the side with Glynda Goodwitch until General James Ironwood offers his hand for her to dance with him. Jaune Arc approaches Ruby Rose, who is standing pensively near the refreshments tables._

"I see you're hiding at the punch bowl too" Said Jaune. "Yep" Said Ruby. "To the socially awkward" Said Jaune.

 _Ruby giggles and they clink glasses._

"Sorry things didn't work out with Weiss" Said Ruby. "Meh, it's fine. Neptune's pretty "cool". I get why she went with him" Said Jaune. "What do you mean?" Asked Ruby. "Well, come on, not many people can pull off blue hair. Unless there some sort of human like species from space that get stronger the closer they are to death" Said Jaune.

 _Jaune begins to drink his punch._

"Weiss came to the dance alone" Said Hope, sitting behind Jaune and Ruby.

 _Jaune chokes in surprise._

"Uh, what?" Asked Jaune, as he turned and grabbed Hope's cheeks.

 _Weiss Schnee is shown trying desperately to coax life out of a wilting white rose. When she fails, she looks visibly upset._

"Yeah, she said that she had too much to focus on to worry about boys. Now, please let go of my face" Said Hope.

 _Laughter draws Weiss' attention to Sun Wukong, Blake Belladonna, Emily Dual and Neptune Vasilias as the latter entertains the others with some impressions and other silly faces. Jaune, shown to be observing as well, becomes visibly perturbed._

"Hold my punch" Said Jaune. "No, hold it yourself" Said Hope. "Ruby, hold my punch" Said Jaune.

 _Jaune hands Ruby his glass and no sooner than he vanishes from sight does she choose to drink from his cup._

"Why didn't you take his drink?" Asked Ruby. "I'm waiting for my date" Said Hope. "I thought Emily was your date" Said Ruby. "No. Pyrrha is" Said Hope. "You manage to get a date with Pyrrha!? How!?" Asked Ruby. "A little bit of asking, some nagging, maybe a hypnotic suggestion" Said Hope. "Really!?" Asked Ruby. "No! Definitely not... I don't ask people" Said Hope. "Hope, you're scaring me" Said Ruby. "Ok, I was joking. I just asked and she said yes. I haven't seen her yet though" Said Hope.

 _As Jaune makes his way across the room, shoving other students aside (some of which were not even in his path), he stops short and watches as Pyrrha Nikos passes by. He watches her walk glumly up the stairs and seems to have a change of heart. The scene shifts to Pyrrha on a balcony as Jaune approaches behind her._

"Hey, Pyrrha" Said Jaune.

 _Pyrrha turns around to face him._

"Hello, Jaune" Said Pyrrha. "You okay? I haven't seen you tonight" Said Jaune. "Arrived late, I'm afraid" Said Pyrrha. "Well, you look really nice" Said Jaune. "Thank you" Said Pyrrha. "Your, uh, date isn't going to beat me up for saying that, is he?" Asked Jaune. "He might" Said Pyrrha. "So, where is the guy?" Asked Jaune.

 _Pyrrha turns back toward Jaune._

"He's inside" Said Pyrrha. "Wow. What's his name?" Asked Jaune. "It's Hope, Jaune. My date is Hope" Said Pyrrha. "Well, he is kinda cute, I guess. And I guess he asked you" Said Jaune. "Yeah. He was the only one who did" Said Pyrrha. "But that's... you're Pyrrha Nikos! H-How could nobody else ask you?" Asked Jaune. "Jaune, i've been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumes I'm too good for them. That I'm on a level they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what I like about Hope and you. When we met, both of you didn't even know my name. You both treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to both of you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're both the kind of guys I wish I was here with. Someone who just saw me for me" Said Pyrrha.

 _Pyrrha looks at Jaune and then walks away while Jaune simply stares in astonishment._

"W-Wai-" Said Jaune.

 _Jaune watches as Pyrrha turns a corner. Neptune has appeared on the balcony, gesturing toward Jaune._

"Hey, uh, Jaune, right?" Asked Neptune. "Yeah" Said Jaune. "This party's pretty lame, huh? I mean, ballroom dancing. Pfft" Said Neptune. "Yeah" Said Jaune.

 _Jaune looks back out over the balcony._

"Cute girls, though, huh?" Asked Neptune. "Is that all you think about?" Asked Jaune. "Huh?" Asked Neptune. "Do you even care about the girls you're hitting on? How they feel about you?" Asked Jaune. "Whoa! Where's this coming from?" Asked Neptune. "How could you just turn her down like that?" Asked Jaune. "Wait, h-who?" Asked Neptune. "Weiss!" Shouted Jaune. "I, uh... it, uh... it just didn't work out, you know?" Asked Neptune. "What? You think that you're too cool, too many other options? Weiss Schnee asked you to the dance. What in the world could possibly keep you from go-" Said Jaune. "I can't dance!" Shouted Neptune. "Beg your pardon?" Asked Jaune. "I can't dance, man!" Shouted Neptune. "But... you're so cool!" Shouted Jaune. "Thank you. I try really, really hard" Said Neptune. "You would rather break a girl's heart and go to a dance alone than just admit to everyone that you can't move in rhythm to music?" Asked Jaune. "That about sums it up, yeah" Said Neptune. "Well, I certainly feel a lot better about myself" Said Jaune. "Please don't tell anybody. Look, if you want Weiss, she's all yours. I don't wanna get in your way" Said Neptune.

 _Jaune turns back towards Neptune._

"Do you like her?" Asked Jaune. "Yeah, I mean I don't know her too well yet, but she seems pretty cool" Said Neptune. "Then just go talk to her. No pickup lines, no suave moves, just be yourself. I've heard that's the way to go" Said Jaune. "Yeah, but then-" Said Neptune. "Hey! You don't have to look cool all the time. In all honesty, if you could be a little less cool, I'd really appreciate it" Said Jaune.

 _Neptune considers Jaune's advice._

"Yeah, okay" Said Neptune. "Go talk to her. I guarantee it'll make her night" Said Jaune. "Thanks. You're a really cool guy, Jaune" Said Neptune.

 _Neptune approaches Jaune, holding his fist out for a bump._

"Alright, don't lie to my face" Said Jaune.

 _The two of them bump fists and Neptune walks away. The scene shifts to show Yang Xiao Long leaning on a handrail and overlooking the festivities from a second tier as Ruby and Hope approaches and leans on the rail._

"I think we really needed this" Said Hope.

 _Blake and Sun are slow dancing while Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie appear to be Waltzing. Penny Polendina is shown to be dancing alone, guarded by two Atlas Soldiers._

"Yeah, and you did a great job planning it, Yang" Said Ruby. "Aw, thanks!" Said Yang, crushing Ruby in a one-arm hug as she flails frantically. "It wasn't all me, though. Weiss did a lot too" Said Yang.

 _Ruby stops struggling and looks down at Weiss. Neptune approaches and rubs his neck nervously. Weiss invites him to sit with her._

"Tomorrow it's back to work" Said Hope. "Really?" Asked Yang. "Yeah. Who said Torchy was gonna give up?" Asked Hope. "So you're...?" Asked Ruby. "Well, I mean. With the Chalice Rouzer and all, I may be a one man army. But even a one man army needs friends" Said Hope. "... Well, I guess we're not getting live entertainment tonight. The band just canceled" Said Yang, as she looked at her scroll. "Aw, not Fidge Munkhelm!" Exclaimed Ruby. "What? Fidge Munkhelm?" Asked Hope. "The hottest, and cheapest for proms and dances, singer since Dunk Paft" Said Yang. "... I can do something about that" Said Hope. "Like what? Kidnapping Fidge Munkhelm? Dunk Paft?" Asked Ruby. "No. Me and Emily have some skill. Yang, Ruby, either of you sing in the shower?" Asked Hope. "Yeah!" Declared Yang. "I, ah, I don't take showers" Said Ruby. "... Then how do you get clean?" Asked Hope. "Ah..." Said Ruby. "Baths? Rainfall, lick yourself, get taken out back and sprayed with a hose by a parent after a month or so, swimming, sleeping in a puddle, forced drowning?" Asked Hope. "Ah, baths. And maybe that hose thing, rarely. Oh, and swimming" Said Ruby. "Well, can you sing?" Asked Hope. "A little" Said Ruby. "Good. Because I need you, Yang and Emily to sing a song. I'll come up with a solo song later" Said Hope, as he walked away. "Ok sis. Operation W.A.F.F.S.T.U.H.G. a go" Said Yang. "Waffstuhgh?" Asked Ruby. "We're all friends, friends save themselves until Hope gets home" Said Hope.

 _Jaune and Pyrrha continue to dance. Ren and Nora do a kind of disco dance, Sun and Blake join the mix and Penny and an Atlas guard are showing doing the "robot". Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai are shown to be observing the students from the next tier._

"It appears all the dancers have partners" Said Emerald. "How long do I have?" Asked Cinder, through an earbud in Emerald's ear. "You should probably be home by midnight, to be safe. Oh look, someone's going on stage" Said Murcury.

 _Cinder Fall is shown to be somewhere outside, holding her fingers to her ear._

"I'll keep my eye on the clock. Cheer for her singing for her" Said Cinder.

 _Hope, having made his way to the exit, walks out of the dance and into the night air. He watches a figure running along the rooftops._

"Well, well, well. I must have good timing. Just wanted to get changed" Said Hope, as he waved in the direction of the figure. "Well, time for a change" Said Hope, as he took a drink from a small glass.

 _Outside the Cross Continental Transmit System Tower, Cinder (dressed as a cat burglar), stealthily approaches an armed guard. She knife-hands the back of his head, rendering him unconscious with a stunned grin on his face. She drags him behind some bushes. Inside the building, Cinder approaches more guards._

"Excuse me, no one's allowed in this area" Said an Atlas Soldier, as Cinder continues to approach. "Stop!" Shouted the Atlas Soldier.

 _The soldier opens fire when Cinder does not heed him. She manages to overpower him, using his gun to take out another approaching soldier. She then throws him against a handrail. Two more soldiers rush her wielding batons. Cinder flash-forges a pair of black blades from fire Dust and trounces them both. Two guards are shown to be on an elevator._

"Yo, man, do you know the Wi-Fi password?" Asked Atlas Soldier 1 "It's Beacon, but replace the E with a 3 and add a pound symbol to the end" Said Atlas Soldier 2.

 _The elevator door opens to show Cinder waiting. One of the guards notices the fallen men outside. Both guards grow apprehensive as Cinder casually walks onto the elevator, the doors closing as she turns around. Thrashing sounds can be heard from outside the elevator. Outside the building, Hope approaches and sees the unconscious guard._

"Well, I guess here goes nothing" Said Hope, before his clothes, in a light show of embers, changed from his normal attire into a tuxedo and sneakers. "Hum. Yep. Firewere is a go. Never thought that Velvet, Pyrrha and I could make this a thing" Said Hope, before he entered the CCTS Tower.

 _Inside the building, the elevator doors open to show Cinder examining a scroll. The two guards are knocked out._

"Oh! That's handy" Said Cinder.

 _She pockets the scroll and walks out of the elevator and toward the control consoles nearby._

"A party guest has left. I can't believe I missed it" Said Emerald, as Cinder sighed. "Which one?" Asked Cinder.

 _Emerald is shown to be dancing with Mercury._

"That Hope kid" Said Emerald. "Should we try to intercept?" Asked Murcury.

 _The other monitors in the room light up._

"No... we're done here" Said Cinder, as Hope entered the room. "Hello, honey. I've made a revolutionary technology. What are you doing?" Asked Hope, as he pointed his hook swords at her. "Oh, you know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that" Said Cinder, as she took out her ear bud, and threw it across the room. "Who was that? Overlord? Monster Truck? David?" Asked Hope. "Ear worms" Said Cinder, before she flash-forges a pair of black blades. "Well, if it must be this way" Said Hope. Hope then lunged at Cinder, and they locked hook to blade. "You got dressed just for me?" Asked Cinder. "Wait? Cinder!? Oh my, I didn't think it was you!" Shouted Hope, before he put his hook sword back in there cases, and Cinder unforged her swords. "What are you doing!?" Asked Hope. "Hacking into the servers" Said Cinder. "Why?" Asked Hope. "Because, I don't know where this school has her" Said Cinder. "Oh. Ok then. Well, I mean, just don't hack into too much" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Cinder. "... Oh, sorry" Said Hope, as he transformed into Wild Chalice. "What's wrong?" Asked Cinder. "My humanity kicked in" Said Hope, as he swung his Wild Slashers at Cinder, but Cinder jumped backwards and flash-forged her swords again. "I'm not letting you take this place" Said Hope. Hope and Cinder then started fighting, with them being tied in power and strength. Hope and Cinder then changed there weapons into there Bow modes. Hope and Cinder then fired there bows at each other, causing a smokescreen, witch Cinder disappeared behind. "... Well, poo" Said Hope, as Hope canceled his transformation. The Chalice Rouzer then turned to dust. "... More poo" Said Hope, before he left.

 _Meanwhile, at the Dance_

"When you've made it your own, you can go on to the next stage. Wow… POWER to TEARER! Wow… POWER to TEARER! Pu-to-ty-ra, Pu-to-Tyrannosaurus!

Pu-to-ty-ra, Pu-to-Tyrannosaurus!" Sung Emily, as everyone cheered. Hope then appeared, walked on Stage and took the microphone from Emily. "You did great" Said Hope. "I know I did" Said Emily. "My turn now" Said Hope. Emily then got off stage. "Ok, this next song is called Armour Zone, and it is a kicker. Ready. Three, two, one, and cue music" Said Hope, as the music swelled up. "You!" Shouted Hope, before the music began. "Who are you!? The me inside of me!? Show me the figure hidden in the shadows! Oh...the depths of derivation! Trembling bodies are red and minced! Where is my heart? Also looking for the pain! The heart is overflowing only! Hey! We live in Armour Zone! The wind cuts with a hoarse voice! In this city where beasts are laughing! To eat, or to be eaten, is your fate? Oh yeah! Look, the taste of sorrow is in my throat! My claws held up, I disappear nastily! What do you eat to live? Betraying all races! How do we survive?! Drowning fish in the aquarium of nightmares, between life and death, the answer is clouded! Oh! The impulse to leave one's self and fly! Hey! We Live In Armour Zone Tear away your pride, remove all your restraints! The truth is for sure still a lie! Hinder the whitewashing and finish it! Oh yeah! Look at the blink of the naked eye, lurking in the blind spot is darkness and judgement! What will you abandon to live? No Gate! Nevertheless... Amazon… Amazon… Amazon… Amazon… Amazon... Amazon… The wind cuts with a hoarse voice! In this city where beasts are laughing! To eat, or to be eaten, is your fate? Oh yeah! Look, the taste of sorrow is in my throat! My claws held up, I disappear nastily! What do you eat to live? Betraying all races! How do we survive?!" Sung Hope.


	22. Vol 2: Field Trip

"They were here... Ozpin, they were here!" Shouted Ironwood.

 _Ironwood angrily slams his fist against Ozpin's desk._

"We're very much aware of that! Thank you, James" Said Glynda. "Fantastic! You're aware! Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course and continue to ignore what's right in front of us?!" Asked Ironwood.

 _The door to Team RWBY's dorm room opens, revealing Yang, Blake, Ruby and Weiss inside. The three zoom over to the person in the door, who is revealed to be Hope._

"What happened last night?" Asked Yang. "Uh... well, um... ha..." Said Hope, as he laughed nervously.

 _Back in Ozpin's office_

"Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado!? You treat every situation like a contest of measuring di—!" Shouted Glynda. "Glynda" Said Ozpin. "Well, he does" Said Glynda. "She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this may go beyond Vale. Beyond Beacon. And if this truly is part of some master plan for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic. Ironwood" Said Ozpin. "I have served you faithfully for years... but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to hold the defenses, and wait—!" Shouted Ironwood, as Ozpin abruptly stands from his chair. "It is not! You're a general, James. So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first? The flag bearers, or the scouts?" Asked Ozpin.

 _The scene cuts back to Team RWBY's dorm._

"I fought the woman that sent Ironwood into a tizzy last night. She was in the tower, hacking into the network. I, hopefully, stopped her before she completed her objective. Did Emily do good last night?" Asked Hope. "She was amazing!" Declared Ruby. "Hope, that was a risky move, taking on the hacker" Said Weiss. "I think you handled it well" Said Blake. "I'm sure everything is alright. Oh, by the way. Ruby" Said Yang.

 _Yang produces a cylindrical package the length of her forearm._

"What's that?" Asked Ruby. "I don't know yet. Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together" Said Yang. "Ooooh! Something from home" Said Ruby.

 _Ruby zooms over to Yang and wraps herself around Yang, trying to take the cylinder from her. The package opens, and another cylinder, hairy and black, falls out onto the floor and starts to shake. The object suddenly transforms into a corgi. Team HRWBY leans in, staring at it. The animal barks twice. While Weiss, Hope and Blake continue to react with great shock, Ruby and Yang react excitedly, with Ruby jumping in the air. Ruby, still airborne, is depicted among a changing blue background and four shots of the dog, two full body shots and two headshots. She then poses as she shouts the dog's name._

"Zwei!" Shouted Ruby. "Two!?" Asked Hope. "He sent a dog?" Asked Blake. "In the mail?" Asked Weiss. "Oh, he does stuff like this all the time" Said Yang. "Dude, what number corgi is this!? Eight?" Asked Hope.

 _Blake disappears, shown now to be on Ruby's bunk._

"Your father or your dog?" Asked Blake. "Good question, hopefully never getting that answer" Said Hope. "Are you telling me that this mangy... drooling... mutt is going to wiv wif us foweva? Oh, yes he is, yes he is! Oh, isn't he adorable" Said Weiss. "Please keep him away from my belongings" Said Blake. "Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheater?" Asked Glynda, over the intercoms. "Well, we can't exactly leave him here while we're gone for the week" Said Weiss. "I mean... we could" Said Hope.

 _Ruby sets Zwei down and he walks over to Blake still on the top bunk, and barks._

"Look, there's a letter! Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang" Said Yang. "Ah-hah" Said Hope, before Yang, Weiss and Ruby looked at him. "That's where you got Yang from" Said Hope.

 _Dozens of cans of dog food spill out of the small package, piling up around Zwei._

"What is he supposed to do with that?" Asked Weiss. "Is there a pocket dimension in there!?" Asked Hope.

 _A can opener falls from the package, bouncing off Zwei's head._

"Well, that settles it! Come on girls, Zwei will be here when we get back!" Declared Yang. "Oh, I'll miss you so much, we're going to be best friends, I can't wait to see you, I can't believe how cute your are" Said Weiss, as Blake jumps down from Ruby's bunk and jumps across the table, avoiding Zwei. Everyone then left, except for Hope. "... I'm sorry. Blake just doesn't like you" Said Hope, before he put Zwei and the cans of food and the can opener in the package, closed it and put a return to sender sticker on it. Hope then rolled the package down the hallway, before trying to catch up to his team.

 _Team HRWBY arrive in the amphitheater, and stand next to team EJNPR._

"Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin" Said Glynda, before she got off stage, and Ozpin got on stage. "Thank you. Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best" Said Ozpin.

 _Ozpin steps away as the students all begin to file out of the amphitheater._

"This is gonna be awesome! Hey, Hope. Since you practically saved Beacon's internet and stuff last night, why don't you pick where we go?" Asked Yang. "... Yes. I will do that. Hum... how do we feel about... search and destroy?" Asked Hope. "Yeah!" Declared Ruby.

 _Team RWBY approaches a hologram screen._

"Here we go! Quadrant 5 needs Grimm cleared out!" Declared Ruby. "Cool" Said Hope.

 _Hope selects it and types in his team name. However, the screen says that first years are not allowed to take this mission._

"How rude! Why not just not show it next time!?" Asked Hope. "Wonderful" Said Weiss. "Any other ideas?" Asked Blake. "We determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first-year students. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that you five will make your way there no matter which job you choose" Said Ozpin. "... What? Why? We could just go and be security? Or doctors. Or builders" Said Hope. "I'm still curious how you all found yourself at the docks last semester. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and green arrows from a dance club some time ago" Said Ozpin. "Magic" Said Hope. " Ha. I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So how about this: instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just bend them?" Asked Ozpin. "Not making any sence" Said Hope.

 _Ozpin selects some things on his scroll, and the hologram screen makes a noise._

"Thank you, professor" Said Ruby. "Do not thank me for this. Teamwork and persistence have carried you far. But you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdom will not care. Stay close to your Huntsman at all times, and do exactly as he says. He will be leading you on this mission, and he can have you sent back to Beacon, if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory. Good luck" Said Ozpin.

 _Team RWBY have left the auditorium and are on their way to the airship that will take them to Quadrant 5._

"Hey... do we all agree that that man made no sence!?" Asked Hope. "Yep. Old people, am I right?" Asked Weiss. "No. No. Don't. Old people are very smart. He was like, thirty or something" Said Hope.

 _A student runs past the team._

"Hey! Team CFVY is back!" Shouted the Student. "Ooooooooooh my god, Velvet!" Shouted Hope, as he started running.

 _Beacon students gather around to witness the return of Team CFVY. Hope runs up to Velvet Scarlatina, and hugs her while sliding towards her._

"Hope?" Asked Velvet, as Hope stood up. "Ahhh, my knee. Oh, that hurt my knees. Never doing that again. Ow. Oh, it hurts. Hey" Said Hope. "I'm sorry I couldn't go to the dance with you" Said Velvet. "Aw. It's ok. I just sung a little. Danced. Not really alone" Said Hope. "Oh? Who'd you take?" Asked Velvet. "Pyrrha" Said Hope. "Well, at least it was a friend" Said Velvet. "Your mission was supposed to end a week ago! What happened?" Asked Weiss. "Nothing happened. It was just ... there were just so many... Oh, but don't worry. You first-years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine. But, also, we found things. Artefacts, we believe" Said Velvet. "Artefacts?" Asked Hope. "We date each of them about seven hundred to one thousand one hundred years ago" Said Velvet, as she showed Hope a ancient ring with a giant gemstone. "Wow. That's interest..." Said Hope, as he held the ring. Hope then put his left hand on his chest. "Sorry. Can I take them? All of them" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Velvet, as she gave Hope a bag full of ancient rings. Hope then put the ring Velvet gave him into the bag. "I should go. Be safe, okay?" Asked Velvet. "We will" Said Hope, before team HRWBY walked away. "We can do this. We've never backed down before, and we're not going to start now" Said Ruby. "Right" Said Blake. "Besides, it won't only be us out there! We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman" Said Ruby. "Yeah" Said Hope

 _The scene immediately cuts to Team HRWBY staring with various stunned expressions, having just discovered who they will be shadowing._

"Why, hello girls! Who's ready to fight for their lives?" Asked Oobleck. "How the fawk!?" Asked Hope.


	23. Vol 2: Start our Mission

_The opening shows the faces of Team HRWBY upon seeing their guide for the week._

"Professor Oobleck?" Asked Weiss. "Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, girls, seeing as you've opted to shadow a Huntsman on what is now essentially a reconnaissance mission. I can assure you, we will not be establishing a single base of operations; rather, we will be traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland and making camp in any defendable locations we may stumble upon. I packed all of our essentials myself, plotted our air course, and readied the airship. And... It's Doctor Oobleck. I didn't earn the PhD for fun, thank you very much" Said Oobleck.

 _Weiss looks over at Blake Belladonna, who is equally disturbed._

"Uh..." Said Weiss. "Come now, children; according to my schedule, we are already three minutes behind ...schedule!" Said Oobleck, as he zips off to the airship docked farther ahead in a second. "Well, alright, then! Looks like we're going to save the world with Doctor Oooobleck- okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse" Said Ruby. "It'll be fine" Said Hope. "Save the world?" Asked Nora.

 _Hope's team turns around to see Nora and team EJNPR approaching._

"You're going on world-saving missions without us? I'm hurt... sad! Maybe a little hungry? That last one's not your fault, though, Ren..." Said Nora.

 _Lie Ren, for his part, simply crosses his arms and turns away._

"Sounds exciting. Where ya going?" Asked Emily. "Just outside the kingdom. With Oobleck. Yeah, sounds fun, doesn't it? It won't..." Said Hope. "I'll make you something when you get back" Said Emily. "Thanks" Said Emily. "Hey! So are we!" Shouted Nora. "What?" Asked Hope. "Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village" Said Pyrrha. "We set out tomorrow" Said Ren. "Cool" Said Hope. "Then you can party with us tonight! We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges" Said Neptune, as he and Sun approached.

 _Jaune is awestruck._

"We normally go to the city with you guys, which means stuff's always exploding and junk, so we thought this might be a better way to check out the kingdom when it's, you know... normal" Said Sun. "That's..." Said Hope.

 _Oobleck appears from the airship to call to Team HRWBY, who are embarrassed_

"Four minutes, ladies!" Shouted Oobleck, as he goes back inside as their friends smile awkwardly at the girls. "Seeya all when we come back" Said Hope

 _Cut to the airship flying over buildings and streets amid deafening turbines._

"I guess I just never saw you as much of a fighter" Said Yang. "Trust me. Nobody did" Said Hope. "I admit I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you, as a Huntsman, I've had my fair share of tussles" Said Oobleck. "Like the mushroom?" Asked Ruby. "Those are truffles" Said Blake. "Like the sprout?" Asked Ruby. "Those are brussels" Said Yang. "Like the things you put on dogs?" Asked Ruby. "Those are muffles" Said Hope. "Besides, given my expertise in the field of history as well as my dabblings in the archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw fit to assign me to this particular... assignment" Said Oobleck. "What does history have to do with this?" Asked Weiss. "Why, what a preposterous question, you silly girl! Why, history is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys, if I were to wager" Said Oobleck. "And that means..?" Asked Weiss. "The southeast quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves, but it is also the location to one of the kingdom's greatest failures" Said Oobleck. "Mountain Glenn" Said Blake. "That's right! It was an expansion of Vale... but in the end it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city" Said Yang. "Correct! And now it stands abandoned as a dark reminder" Said Oobleck. "Well, let's go" Said Hope. "Precisely" Said Oobleck.

 _The airship comes in over a spot of street amidst the ruined buildings and structures of the ruined area. It hovers right above the ground as Yang, Blake, Oobleck, Weiss, Hope, and Ruby all jump out of the craft with weapons drawn (minus the doctor, who simply holds his coffee canister) before the ship flies away from the destruction._

"Ladies! You still may be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as Huntresses has begun! From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say! Do you understand?" Asked Oobleck. "Yep" Said Hope. "I don't think you do" Said Oobleck. "I don't think you understand that I'm a man, but I'm gonna let you continue" Said Hope. "I don't think you will" Said Oobleck. "Ok, tell us what's happening then" Said Hope. "Grimm are happening Hope!" Shouted Oobleck. "Wow, tell me where!" Shouted Hope. "Grimm. A creature of Grimm approximately one hundred yards from us at this very moment" Said Oobleck. "What?!" Asked Yang.

 _She turns to look like the other girls at the lone Beowolf wandering into the street, joining them in unleashing their weapons._

"Stop" Said Oobleck. "Huh?" Asked Blake.

 _Lowers her Gambol Shroud like everyone else to listen._

"There are a number of reasons why Grimm will congregate in this particular area, the most likely of which will be their attraction to negativity: sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities that are likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent" Said Oobleck. "So... What now?" Asked Ruby. "We wait. We track. If this specimen leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our prey" Said Oobleck. "How long do we wait?" Asked Blake. "Somewhere between the start and end of time, I'm assuming" Said Hope. "It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks. Why, lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from the pack for months - and there's the whole pack" Said Oobleck,

 _His sudden realization is true: Five Beowolves are already following the first._

"What?" Asked Hope. "And now they've seen us" Said Oobleck. "What?" Asked Hope, as Oobleck came right up to Hope's ear to shout. "AND NOW THEY'VE SEEN US!" Shouted Oobleck. "I take it tracking them is out of the question?" Asked Yang. "Ow, my ear" Said Hope. "An accurate assumption, yes" Said Oobleck. "What's the plan, then?" Asked Ruby.

 _The team turns to their teacher as the creatures close in, black bars converging dramatically over the approaching animals._

"Show me what you're capable of" Said Oobleck. "Ok, I'll start us off" Said Hope, as he put on the Chalice Rouzer. Hope then used the Evolution Paradoxa Rouze Card. Suddenly, the Chalice Rouzer exploded, knocking Hope into a nearby wall, also knocking him unconscious. "Oh no, Hope!" Shouted Blake. "Don't worry about him now. Fight the Grimm" Said Oobleck. "... Ok" Said Blake.

 _Black lines race across the screen as a single Beowolf and smiling Yang run towards one another, ending with the blonde knocking it out in one fiery punch as they pass. Several stop chasing after the party girl to focus on Blake, who stands and waits with hand on her hilt until one of the enemy swipes at her afterimage, the real deal slicing her would-be attacker in half before slashing through another and cutting down on one more. Behind the Faunus, Weiss runs from several black-coated beasts before jumping in the air and taking one down with Myrtenaster. She dashes towards them with rapier held high and slays four of them in a straight line until she stops. A wave of Beowolves are converging on Ruby, but the scythe wielder shoots multiple bullets at the oncoming force. Ruby fires forward and, after a dramatic mid-air stare-off, cut the single remaining Grimm in two._

"Piece of cake" Said Ruby, before Hope stood up. "Hope. You ok?" Asked Blake. "I'm ok. Maybe give me a little help with long distance walking. Nope. Not ok. I need treatment" Said Hope, before he fainted. "Well. Shall we continue?" Asked Oobleck.

 _Continue they do, as it cuts to Ruby cutting through the scene change, Blake slicing the previous shift, and a random slash going to the view of Oobleck rooting through a plant as Grimm parts fall around him. He is center in the faces of tired Huntresses._

"Excellent work, girls! Moving on" Said Oobleck, as Yang carried Hope. "Hey, Doc, y'know, I was actually looking forward to seeing a "pro Huntsman" in action. Like, fighting, or at least, helping us fight?" Asked Yang. "Ah, but I am in action! Scouring the ruins of this once-great city for any signs of irregularity! Not every mission is filled with daring and heroism, girls. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination! Remember, this is a job, and you all signed up for it. I do hope you understand that" Said Oobleck. "Well, yeah... O-Of course" Said Yang. "Hmm..." Said Oobleck.

 _The scene changes to the view of another victory for HRWBY and their mentor amid the noise of fired shots, but switches again to Oobleck and Yang, not carrying Hope any longer, away from the group._

"Tell me, Yang: Why did you choose this line of work?" Asked Oobleck. "Huh? Well, to fight monsters and save" Said Yang. "No, that is what you do. I want to know why you do it. The honest reason as to why you want to be a Huntress" Said Oobleck. "The honest reason? I'm a thrill-seeker. I want to travel around the world and get wrapped up in as many crazy adventures as I can. And if I help people along the way, then that's even better. It's a win-win, y'know?" Asked Yang. "I see" Said Oobleck.

 _One claw-scratch transition later, Oobleck is sitting on a high windowsill writing in his journal while Weiss fights off Beowolves below._

"And you, Miss Schnee? A girl born into fame and fortune such as yourself certainly doesn't need the extra work. So... why choose this over a cushy job in Atlas?" Asked Oobleck. "It's exactly as you said: I'm a Schnee. I have a legacy of honor to uphold. Once I realized I was capable of fighting, there was no longer a question of what I would do with my life. It was my duty" Said Weiss. "Interesting" Said Oobleck.

 _Oobleck jumps down into the next scene, where Blake slashes a door down and releases a swarm of small Nevermores from the building, which she back-flips under before she shoots them all with her blade's pistol form._

"And what about you, Blake? You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose" Said Oobleck. "There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption... Someone has to stop it" Said Blake. "Very well. How?" Asked Oobleck. "I, Uh..." Said Blake.

 _Oobleck "Hmm's" to himself, then dashes away, leaving Blake to bow her head in troubled thought. Later, Ruby is using her weapon in the most practical fashion and lifting a whole turkey on the sharp end of her gun to tease a jumping and flipping Zwei with. That is, until she spots her teacher watching, quickly sheathing Crescent Rose._

"Sorry! Uh... Are we ready to keep going?" Asked Ruby. "Nope! I believe that will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon. And the leader needs some rest. Dispite having the most" Said Oobleck, before he throws his bag over to Yang, who makes a sound when she catches it. "You three, set up camp in that building. Oh, and please do make sure there are no more of those... creatures. Come, Ruby" Said Oobleck.

 _They start walking away from the rest of RWBY, who each look at their leader, knowing what she'll be asked. As Oobleck and Ruby round the corner of a building, something off-screen catches Ruby's attention_

"Whaaaa..." Said Ruby.

 _The camera allows the audience to see the wide forest stretching below the ruin, and in the midst of it, a line of giant elephants with the black and white features of animals of darkness marching through the trees_

"What is that? It looks awesome" Said Ruby. "That, my dear girl, is a Grimm" Said Oobleck. "Let's kill it" Said Ruby, as she held up Crescent Rose. "I'm afraid your sniper rifle will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size" Said Oobleck. "But... What if it attacks us?" Asked Ruby. "Fret not, Ruby; those Goliaths are not concerned with us. Ruby, not every Grimm is mindless, or rather not every Grimm is still mindless. You see, the Grimm you see before you are so powerful, so superior to the Grimm you fought, that they've undoubtedly lived hundreds of years, and in that time between killing humans and attacking our borders, they have done one important thing: They've learned. They've learned that when they attack our borders, they're likely to die, and what we lack in strength, we make up for in will, and that killing one human will only bring more" Said Oobleck.

 _As he says this, one Goliath swivels its thick neck to look at the figures watching their procession, eyes glowing as fiery red as any other Grimm._

"Then why are they still so close to the city? What are they doing?" Asked Ruby. "Waiting" Said Oobleck.

 _As he says this, the Goliath turns its head forward again and moves on with its kin. Oobleck turns around and walks away as well, and Ruby puts away her weapon, not moving._

"Doctor Oobleck?" Asked Ruby. "Hmm?" Asked Oobleck. "I was wondering" Said Ruby. "Wondering why I've been interrogating your teammates all day?" Asked Oobleck. "A-Actually, I was wondering... Why did you want to become a Huntsman?" Asked Ruby. "Look around and tell me what you see" Said Oobleck.

 _Ruby takes a look around._

"Lots of old buildings, uh, empty streets..." Said Ruby. "I see lives that could have been saved. As a Huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although I am capable of doing it with traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of them all, and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland, and I see lives that could have been saved, but I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore become stronger. I am a Huntsman, Ruby, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be" Said Oobleck.

 _Back at the building, the team has done as instructed, building a fire in the center of the room and huddling around it or standing up._

"I can't believe Hope just kinda exploded..." Said Yang. "Yeah..." Said Blake. "That's not what I meant" Said Weiss. "Huh?" Asked Blake and Yang. "Earlier, about... upholding the legacy. There's more to it than that" Said Weiss. "Yeah... No, me too. I mean... I don't know" Said Yang. "I don't know, either. I know what I want to do, but I figured I'd always take things one step at a time" Said Blake. "Well, it doesn't matter. We know why we're here. Right?" Asked Yang.

 _The girls merely stare in silence, as Hope woke up._

"Hey..." Said Hope. "Hope!" Shouted Yang, as she ran towards. "Hey, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah! Is this a dream? If so, feed me grapes before anything happens" Said Hope. "It's not a dream" Said Blake. "... we're still on that mission with Oobleck?" Asked Hope. "Yes we are" Said Weiss. "... Dang it..." Said Hope.

 _Oobleck comes rushing into the room_

"Ah, wonderful; a textbook campfire!" Shouted Oobleck. "Fire! So... warm..." Said Ruby. "Very good! Eat your dinners and hurry to bed. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow and we'll need you to take turns keeping watch over our temporary abode. Any volunteers for first watch?" Asked Oobleck. "Yo" Said Ruby, raising her arm.

 _Oobleck rushes off, and Ruby gets up to go over to her lookout point._

"Yeah, I'm alive, jerk" Said Hope. "Hey, did Oobleck ask you why you wanted to be a Huntress? I mean... what did you tell him?" Asked Yang. "Hmm... No, he didn't. Weird. Oh, well; good night, guys" Said Ruby.

 _Without a second carefree thought, she continues on her way. Yang looks disappointed in the lack of an answer. Blake is similarly troubled as she unrolls her mat, Weiss tries lying down but fails to sleep, Yang half-heatedly eats her dinner of bread rolls. Soon, all three Huntresses are on their backs around the fire, weapons within easy access, wondering why they are there, as Hope puts out the fire. Ruby, meanwhile, is sitting in the vacant windowsill of the room as Hope walks over._

"Hope. You ok?" Asked Ruby. "Yeah. I'm fine. The Chalice Rouzer, however. It's completely trashed. Unusable. And I don't know how I survived. Maybe I have absorbed aura or something" Said Hope. "Hey Hope. Teach me something interesting" Said Ruby. "Why?" Asked Hope. "Because you just survived something that should of killed you" Said Ruby. "Sure. Ego dum viveret vici notum. Or, in an understandable language, no offence, so long as I'm alive, I have conquered the known universe. Once said by a mad man in a mask. But, once said by a philosopher, cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. It's, if I remember correctly, the theroy that if the soul goes into another body, a theroy in itself, then the soul must go into a body like itself" Said Hope. "Interesting" Said Ruby. "Goodnight, Ruby Rose" Said Hope. "Goodnight, Hope" Said Ruby.


	24. Vol 2: Mountain Glenn

_The opening ends to the view of General James Ironwood looking out from the landing docks of Beacon Academy to the city of Vale at night, a few airships hovering over the lit-up buildings. Walking up from behind him is Glynda Goodwitch._

"Trouble sleeping?" Asked Glynda. "Arm was acting up" Said Ironwood. "Of course, so logically, you got out of bed, dressed yourself completely and decided to gaze menacingly out into the distance. What's wrong?" Asked Glynda. "I've trusted him for years. We both have. I just... I can't help but feel like he's keeping us in the dark" Said Ironwood. "Don't be ridiculous! You know very well that we are not the ones in the dark" Said Glynda. "That makes it worse! I refuse to believe that a man that I've trusted for so long would act so... passively" Said Ironwood, as Glynda puts a reassuring hand her friend's shoulder. "You're a good person, James. You've always done what you think is best for the people, even against strong protest. It's admirable. But it's high time you stopped talking about trust and started showing it. Ozpin has experience that the rest of us lack. And I think that's something worth remembering" Said Glynda.

 _The full moon is shining over the ruined buildings of Mountain Glenn, and a lone Beowolf is searching through the rubble. It looks up briefly at the young girl who has it in her red crosshair scope, but Ruby Rose just lowers Crescent Rose and sighs in tiredness at she keeps lookout over the destruction. The rest of team HRWBY is lying down on their sleeping mats around the fire with weapons nearby, and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck is higher up, slumped down against the wall next to the hole in the ceiling/floor. The four members of HRWBY have their eyes closed, but Yang Xiao Long is the first to stop pretending._

"Blake, are you awake?" Asked Yang. "Yeah" Said Blake. "Why do you think he asked us about being a Huntress? Like, what was he trying to say?" Asked Yang. "Maybe he was just curious" Said Blake. "You think?" Asked Yang. "No" Said Blake. "Weiss, are you awake?" Asked Yang. "Of course I'm awake! You two are talking. And I think he... When I said I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it. But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area" Said Weiss. "That's putting it lightly" Said Blake. "Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job in Atlas, it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse to let him be the end of it" Said Weiss. "All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I had a partner named Adam. More of a mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place. But of course, his idea of a perfect future turned out to be not perfect for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew that Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy, what will I - how can I undo so many years of hate?" Asked Blake. "I'm sure you'd figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake" Said Yang. "But I am! I do it all the time! When you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what to do, so I ran! When I realized my oldest partner had become a monster, I ran! Even my Semblance! I was born with the ability to leap behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away" Said Blake. "Enough. We all are who we are, ok? One of us wants to protect the family name. One wants equality. A found parent and to be a hero. Me? I just wanna make friends and give people hope. Kibōu. The one thing in common is this. We all have made a team. HRWBY. All different people, from all different types of life, all different ways of life. Now, never focus on what you consider your flaws. Focus on what makes you stronger. Now, get some rest" Said Hope.

 _The apparently-sleeping Oobleck has a small smile when he finishes. Hope has taken up watch, allowing for Ruby to sleep on the sleeping bag Yang had been lying on. Ruby suddenly wakes and hears some noise, and sneaks off._

"Hmph. Let's just finish our patrol and get back to base. This place gives me the creeps" Said a man.

 _As the man walk away, Ruby sneak around in the background, following him. She eventually reach a ruined building with a pair of metal doors, and Ruby hides behind a corner, watching him._

"What the... I should probably get the others..." Said Ruby.

 _Ruby hurries off down the street. However, the asphalt beneath her suddenly starts glowing, before multiple rings, like the one Velvet gave to Hope in "Field Trip", appear out of the ground, making the ground sink before caving in. Ruby grabs onto a ledge. She begins to attempt to pull herself up. However, the ledge she is holding onto breaks off, and she plummets into a huge cave filled with ruined buildings, far below the surface. She lands on a building up against a cavern wall, and as she gets up, a nearby door bursts open to reveal two other White Fang Guards, one of whom is Perry._

"Freeze" Said a White Fang Guard. "Where did she come from?" Asked another White Fang Guard.

 _As the WF Guards walk forward, Ruby backs away only to end up on the very edge of the platform._

"You're a long way from home, little girl" Said the White Fang Guard.

 _Ruby reaches back for her scythe, only to realize that she doesn't have it. Both guards approach her, and one of them grabs her arm._

"Hey! Hands off" Said Ruby

 _Ruby jerks her arm out of the guard's hand and starts punching him. It has very little effect, and he punches her in the face hard enough to knock her down._

"The boss is gonna want to see this one..." Said the White Fang Guard.

 _The guard kicks her in the head hard enough to knock her out._

"Hey Weiss, it's your... Ruby? Oh no..." Said Hope. "What?" Asked Oobleck, as everyone got up. "I think we may have a Ruby missing problem" Said Hope. "Grab your weapons!" Shouted Oobleck.

 _Ruby awakes to the two WF Guards who caught her dragging her by both arms through the underground city. All around her, White Fang members are at work, doing various things such as piloting a Paladin to carry large shipping containers. There is a loud sound nearby as one of the White Fang members drops a large device._

"Hey, be careful! What are you trying to do, blow us to the moon?" Asked a White Fang Guard. "Sorry sir" Said another White Fang Guard. "Hey boss! Found something you might want to see!" Shouted Perry. "Is it good or bad, Perry? Because let me tell ya, I have had a day" Said Roman. "Uh, it's a little girl?" Asked Perry, as Roman leans out through the doorway and sees Ruby. "That would be... perfect" Said Roman.

 _Hope leads Oobleck and his teammates to where he last saw Ruby, and Yang spots Crescent Rose next to a hole._

"Ruby's scythe" Said Yang. "I heard some talking earlier. I didn't think that Ruby would follow it" Said Hope. "Oh no" Said Blake. "Do you think she fell?" Asked Weiss. "Judging by the fractures and the depth, no" Said Hope. "Fell?" Asked Oobleck. "Already past that" Said Hope. "Down there" Said Weiss. "Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!" Shouted Oobleck. "What is it?" Asked Blake. "How could I be so stupid?!" Asked Oobleck. "How many reasons do you want?" Asked Hope. "Dr. Oobleck, what's wrong?" Asked Yang. "Mountain Glenn! Yes, an expansion of Vale that was inevitably destroyed by creatures of Grimm! Previously home to thousands of people! Working people commuting to the city, the main city! Developed a subway system to the inner city! Grimm attacks increased! Population in danger, now desperately searching for shelter! City evacuates into the metro tunnels and what do they find? The southeast quadrant of Vale is known for wild forests and deep caves!" Shouted Oobleck. "Why are you telling us this?" Asked Hope. "No, no, Mountain Glenn was Vale's first serious attempt at expansion. It worked for a short period of time, thanks to an aggressive perimeter defense, and unique transportation; the city developed an elaborate subway system to carry citizens safely from the new territory into the main Kingdom! Sadly, without the many natural barriers Vale had to protect its borders, Mountain Glenn was doomed from the start! As the end drew near, the citizens of the territory made one last attempt at survival: They took up shelter beneath the city! In massive caves that they had cleared out for the subway. And they had cut themselves off from the surface!" Shouted Oobleck. "An underground village?" Asked Yang. "In a matter of speaking, yes. A safe haven. Until... an explosion opened the mouth of another cavern, filled with subterranean Grimm. After that, the Kingdom officially sealed off the tunnels, creating the world's largest tomb. If Ruby is down there, we must find her..." Said Oobleck, as he deployed his weapon. Hope then opened his hands, revealing more rings. Hope then started bleeding form the chest.

 _The screen goes black and the credits roll._


	25. Vol 2: Train Wreck

_The opening ends to Ruby being thrown across the floor by Roman._

"Wow! You are much more manageable without that over-sized gardening tool of yours" Said Roman.

 _Ruby gets up and charges at Roman, which he simply sidesteps, sending Ruby stumbling across the floor._

"Oh man. You know, Perry, I really did need this" Said Roman.

 _Perry raises his thumb in agreement as Roman laughs._

"But seriously. How'd you find this place, Red?" Asked Roman.

 _Ruby growls and uses her Semblance to escape Roman and start running for an exit._

"Whoa!" Shouted Roman, momentarily stunned.

 _Smiling, Roman stands up, spins Melodic Cudgel in his hands, and aims the handle at Ruby. He fires the handle, which doubles as a grappling hook, at Ruby, catching her by her hood and allowing Roman to pull her back._

"I see you've got some tricks up your sleeve! Let me make this clear: We're not through here yet" Said Roman.

 _A massive explosion sounds, causing Roman to look up._

"Oh, what the... Perry, if you and the boys could take care of that? Kinda in the middle of something" Said Roman

 _Perry nods and goes off to investigate the explosion just as another one sounds._

"WHAT is going on here?!" Asked Roman.

 _A third explosion sounds and multiple White Fang members come running around the corner, some firing at an unknown enemy. Weiss, Blake, Yang, Hope and Oobleck run around the corner, much to Roman's annoyance. Ruby decides to take this moment to try and escape. She jumps on Roman's shoulders, pulls his hat down over his eyes, and then flees towards her friends._

"Somebody kill her!" Shouted Roman.

 _Roman and the White Fang members around him open fire on Ruby, which she dodges and weaves between._

"Attach this cart and spread the word: We're starting the train" Said Roman. "But we're not finished!" Shouted a White Fang Member, as Roman pins the White Fang member up against the wall with Melodic Cudgel. "Do it or you're finished!" Shouted Roman.

 _The shot cuts to Ruby fleeing, but screeches to a halt as she realizes she's running towards a group of White Fang members. A huge explosion appears behind the White Fang members, sending them flying and reveling Yang behind them._

"Ruby" Said Yang. "Are you okay?" Asked Weiss. "I'm fine, I'm fine! But listen! Torchwick's got all kinds of weapons and robots down there. What's wrong with Hope?" Asked Ruby, as she looked over at Hope, who was extremely pale. "Thanks for noticing. I'm probably dieing. Now, what's on the train?" Asked Hope, as he handed Ruby her weapon. "Androids, mechs, they're all loaded up on the train cars!" Shouted Ruby. "Ahhhh, that's ridiculous. These tunnels are sealed, the tracks lead to a dead-end" Said Oobleck. "Get to your places, we are leaving now" Said Roman.

 _The train starts moving towards the tunnels._

"Well, it sounds like they're going somewhere" Said Yang. "We need backup. Let me call Emily" Said Ruby. "No. They won't make it in time. We need to get on that train" Said Hope.

 _The scene cuts to the train rushing through a tunnel, loaded with mechs. A White Fang member standing on the train hears a noise and looks outside the train to see rose petals. He brings out a communication device._

"I think they're on the" Said the White Fang Member.

 _The White Fang member falls down as Oobleck hits him in the head with his weapon. The shot cuts to Roman in the front of the train as a White Fang member rushes in._

"Boss! They made it on the train!" Shouted a White Fang Member. "Then grab some cargo and get them off the train!" Shouted Roman.

 _The White Fang member nods and leaves to follow Roman's orders._

"Man, animals, every one of them" Said Roman.

 _Roman looks awkwardly at the White Fang member sitting next to him._

"Not, ah, not you though, you're, heh, you're great" Said Roman.

 _The scene cuts to Team HRWBY and Oobleck standing on top of the train._

"Hurry, children! We must get to the front and stop this train!" Shouted Oobleck. "Err... Professor?" Asked Weiss. "Doctor..." Said Oobleck, as Weiss pointed down a hatch into the train. "What's that?" Asked Weiss as Oobleck kneels down to take a look. "That my dear... appears to be a bomb" Said Oobleck.

 _Team HRWBY all cringe away from the hatch._

"We've got baddies!" Shouted Ruby, as she pointed at the front of the train.

 _Dozens of White Fang members can be seen climbing onto the top of the train._

"Well, I didn't expect them to go-" Said Oobleck.

 _The bomb underneath them charges up and starts beeping._

"—easy on us. Time to go!" Shouted Oobleck.

 _As Team HRWBY start running away, Oobleck stops Blake._

"Blake! Detach the caboose! It will kill us all!" Shouted Oobleck. "On it" Said Blake.

 _Blake jumps down onto the connectors and gets ready to cut the connection, but as she does, the connection comes loose on its own._

"Huh? It decoupled itself" Said Blake. "What?!" Asked Oobleck. "I guess he really doesn't want us on this train" Said Hope, before suddenly falling to his knees, and clutching his chest. "Hope!" Shouted Yang. "I'm ok..." Said Hope, as he stood up.

 _As Oobleck looks back at the detached cart, it explodes in the tunnel._

"That's not good..." Said Oobleck. "Err, neither is this!" Said Ruby, standing next to another open hatch. "Another bomb?" Asked Hope, as Oobleck looks around and runs to the next train car. "No. No. No" Said Oobleck, as he opens the hatch and looks in, then yells back to Team HRWBY. "They ALL have bombs!" Shouted Oobleck.

 _The bomb under Team HRWBY charges up and starts beeping and the cart they're on detaches itself, forcing Team HRWBY to run to the next cart._

"This doesn't make sense!" Shouted Yang. "Punch a hole" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Blake. "In theroy, the mass to explosive to speed ratio to punch a hole big enough in the dead end to let a massive amount of Grimm out through the dead end into whatever's behind it, is what we're on. Basically. We're standing on the world's biggest suicide bomb" Said Hope.

 _The White Fang members climbing the train can be seen again._

"Get the humans!" Shouted a White Fang Member.

 _Team HRWBY jump forward to attack the incoming White Fang members. Oobleck turns around and watches the detached train car explode. Only this time it creates a hole allowing multiple types of Grimm to emerge._

"Oh, dear..." Said Oobleck.

 _The horde of Grimm begin advancing quickly toward the runaway train._

"He's leading Grimm to the city!" Shouted Oobleck. "Yep, figured that out" Said Hope, before he felt pain in his chest. A White Fang Member then tried to finish him off. "Wait... you? From that night?" Asked the White Fang Member. "Yeah, probably" Said Hope. "Dude, you inspired me on that night!" Shouted the White Fang Member. "What?" Asked Hope. "Hey, hey guys! It's the man from that night!" Shouted the White Fang Member, making everyone stop shooting. "What's your name?" Asked the White Fang Member. "Oh my god... Vega!?" Asked Hope. "He remembers my name!" Shouted the White Fang Member. "Wow!" Shouted the White Fang Member. "And Dio. And Greg. Eay, Davros. Todrick. And Oobleck, didn't know I'd know two Ooblecks. Siguma. And Gold. Zǐsè, Rouge, Roux, Prásinos, Pelangi, I know all of your names. Get us inside" Said Hope, as the White Fang Members slowly removed there masks. A White Fang Member then opened a hatch. "Ok. Me, Yang, Blake and Weiss will go down in here. Oobleck, Ruby, stay up here and help my friends. Make sure none of them die" Said Hope.

 _White Fang members start to pilot multiple Atlesian Paladin-290s, and jump to the top of the train. Ruby, and Oobleck take defensive stances, as do the unmasked White Fang Members. Down below, Hope, Yang, Weiss, and Blake enter the train car._

"What was that!?" Asked Blake. "... In fine inter homines sumus. Sorry, you don't know Latin..." Said Hope. "In the end, we are gods among men" Said Yang. "She, however, did" Said Hope.

 _Weiss reaches into her pouch and gives Blake a magazine filled with Dust vials._

"Here, this should help you" Said Weiss.

 _Blake slides the mag into Gambol Shroud, and then the three of them charge forward. Suddenly, Neopolitan drops from the ceiling and blocks their path._

"Ah, spooder" Said Hope. "You three go on ahead. This one's mine" Said Yang. "No. It's our fight" Said Hope. "Are you sure?..." Said Yang. "I'm fine. Blake, Weiss, go!" Shouted Hope.

 _Blake and Weiss proceed forward. As Neo prepares for their attack, Yang fires a round to distract her, allowing Blake and Weiss to continue. Hope walks forward toward his opponent, staring down as Neo gives a sinister smile. The two on one fight begins. In the next train car, Blake and Weiss are seen running, and then look at each other when they hear the sound of revving up ahead. A figure is seen dragging a chainsaw along the floor. The camera pans up, revealing the White Fang Lieutenant._

"You go on ahead!" Shouted Wiess. "Got it!" Shouted Blake.

 _The Lieutenant chuckles menacingly as he holds up his chainsaw. The two Huntresses-in-training charge forward, with Blake deflecting an attack as Weiss flips backward. Weiss delivers multiple strikes at the Lieutenant, knocking him down. She then smiles at Blake as she proceeds to the next car. The Lieutenant gets back up, again chuckling menacingly._

"Finally, I get to kill a Schnee..." Said the White Fang Lieutenant.

 _Weiss holds up Myrtenaster en garde. In the next train car, Blake stops and grits her teeth when she's greeted by a familiar foe._

"Hello, kitty cat. You miss me? You know, we really gotta stop meeting like this. People are gonna talk" Said Roman.

 _Blake charges forward to attack, starting their brief battle. Blake feints and uses her Semblance combined with dust to create a fiery shadow of herself. Roman strikes it and it explodes, propelling him into the air. Blake jumps up and delivers some midair strikes to knock him down, then lands in a fighting stance. Roman fires a blast from the Melodic Cudgel, and Blake uses dust to create a stone shadow of herself to take the blow. She leaps overhead and prepares to strike, only to feint again and create another shadow of herself with her Semblance. Roman blocks a flurry of attacks from Blake and tries to strike her with an overhead blow, but she dodges back and creates a frozen shadow that traps his weapon. As he tries to retrieve it, Blake performs a vertical slash that sends a shockwave down the train car, destroying the ice sculpture and knocking Roman into the door where he drops his weapon. She soon knocks him down, and when he attempts to get back up, Blake steps on his chest and points her sword at his throat._

"Why are we fighting? I saw you at the rally, we're on the same side and you know it..." Said Roman.

 _Meanwhile, Weiss is fighting the Lieutenant. The Lieutenant runs towards Weiss as she raises her weapon defensively before using Myrtenaster to draw a pale blue circle in the air, forming a force-field. Cyan shockwaves radiate from the center of the force-field as the Lieutenant tries, in vain, to saw through it. Weiss then knocks him back with a slash from her weapon. He attempts another overhead swipe, but Weiss points her weapon downwards and lets the chainsaw simply run down the side of it, creating sparks but missing her completely. She then spins and slashes him again, knocking him back. She flips gracefully over him, slashing at his head and landing on the other side of him. He gets up and spins around, viciously swiping towards her sideways with the chainsaw. She acrobatically lowers her body underneath it, dodging the blow and backflipping out of range before attacking in a series of slashes and stabs that throw him into the air and back onto the ground. She flips over him, facing him from another angle. Rising from the ground, he slashes towards her, but she ducks out of the way. After attempting another overhead slash, which she dodges again, he manages to briefly knock her back after the two weapons clash. However, his subsequent kick towards her meets only a pile of boxes, as she leaps onto the ceiling. She spirals downwards with her weapon outstretched, but he steps out of the way. She lands, before getting up, deflecting one of his attacks, performing a backflip and countering with a stab of her own, which sends him flying backwards. As he stands back on his feet, Weiss holds Myrtenaster in front of her and concentrates, mixing yellow Dust with a glyph to create a haste glyph beneath herself. Utilizing her speed powerup, Weiss charges forward and creates a series of glyphs that surround the Lieutenant. She leaps and begins ricocheting off each of the glyphs, slashing him extremely quickly each time she passes him, knocking him to the another glyph, Weiss attempts to stab him where he lies, but he rolls backwards, preventing her from doing so. She jumps in the air in order to attack him again, but he yells, "C'mere, princess!" and grabs her face before brutally raising her above his head and slamming her into the ground, causing debris to be flung around. He then throws her into the air and slashes at her with his chainsaw before the fight is cut abruptly._ _Yang and Hope's fight is going badly and soon ends when Neo manages to throw Yang into the ceiling, knocking her unconscious, and Hope is hit with more pain from his chest. Neo turns around to approach Hope..._

"Well. This is a bad time" Said Hope. "Yes it is. Especially for you. Are you ok?" Asked Neo. "Ah, now you talk" Said Hope.

 _Cut back to Roman being held down by Blake, he grunts as she points her blade at his throat._

"Oh, still feisty. Soooo, what are we gonna do now? You think a little bow on top is gonna make people forget who you were? What you've done...?" Asked Roman.

 _As she grits her teeth at his words, Blake hears the door from the previous train car open behind her. An unconscious Weiss is thrown to the floor, with the Lieutenant emerging from the doorway, holding his chainsaw._

"So what's it gonna be, Blake?" Asked Roman.

 _She sheaths Gambol Shroud and kicks Roman in the face, with time slowing down for a few seconds, before stopping. A few seconds later, time begins again, with Blake's kick connecting, knocking Roman unconscious. Blake goes over to Weiss' aid, and flees immediately before the Lieutenant can reach them. Meanwhile, Neo is seen pulling a hidden blade from within her umbrella and approaching the unconscious Yang. She prepares to deal the finishing blow, grinning sadistically while doing so. Suddenly, a masked warrior - with a white diamond like helmet and clad in white and silver - comes out of nowhere and knocks Neo back._

"I told you I'd return in time!" Shouted the warrior. "Good" Said Neo, as she put her blade back in the umbrella. "Thank you for the opportunity. I'm ok now. Now get outta here" Said the warrior.

 _Neo, wastes no time and disappears in a flash. Yang regains some consciousness and slowly gets back up. As she opens her eyes again, she gets a glimpse at her rescuer, as they help her up, and take off there helmet._

"Kon'nichiwa, tomoyo. Darenimo iwanaide kudasai. Watashida. Kibō" Said the warrior. "You look so..." Said Yang. "Wareware wa, subete no henkō" Said the warrior, before he vanished.

 _Back to Ruby, Oobleck and the Unmasked White Fang, the Doctor dodges a couple swipes from the Paladin, and then runs to the top of its head, and shoots it in its engine before jumping back down. Ruby twirls Crescent Rose around a few times, and then she and Oobleck fire simultaneously at the Paladin's feet, knocking it off the train. The both of them switch positions._

"Ruby! You go on ahead!" Shouted Oobleck. "But-" Said Ruby. "Don't worry, Ruby. We will be ok" Said Oobleck

 _The remaining members of Team HRWBY reemerge from the train cars to rejoin. Ruby looks on worriedly as she realizes the train is on a collision course with a thick concrete wall._

"What do we do?" Asked Blake. "Where's Hope!?" Asked Ruby. "He left" Said Yang. "Really!? Again!?" Asked Blake. "He needed medical attention, Blake" Said Ruby. "So!? Why didn't he take us with him!?" Asked Blake. "Because I was the only one there! And who knows what would of happened if he took all of us!?" Asked Yang.

 _Ruby and Weiss smile at each other, and the latter starts to forms an ice shield to protect her teammates, but the warrior that saved Yang appears in front of the remains of HRWBY, and placed his left hand on his belt, witch declared "DEFEND! PLEASE!", making a magical sigil appear around him and the remains of Team HRWBY. The train crashes into the wall, the explosion causing the screen to go white. The camera switches to Ruby's first person perspective as she recovers from the collision. She hears the sound of an emergency alarm blaring as her vision comes back with buildings into her view. She turns her head to the lower right and sees Blake and Yang slowly getting back up, her sister coughing as the dust settles. She turns her head again and sees Weiss sitting up against a large piece of debris, who also gives a thumbs up at her team leader signaling she's okay. The camera switches back to show Ruby as she sits back up. The team of huntresses then notice, much to their chagrin, that they have returned to the central part of Vale, and multiple civilians in the area notice them among the debris. Ruby hears the sound of low rumbles and growls from behind her. Suddenly, a giant King Taijitu emerges from the hole, and multiple Grimm start pouring into Vale. The civilians scream as they attempt to flee the chaos. The sounds of screams and roars fill the air, and all Team HRWBY minus Hope can do is watch in horror. Cut to a close up on Ruby, her expression changes from worried and scared to angry and determined. The alarm continues to blare as Team HRWBY minus Hope gather in the centre of the park, taking on defensive stances. Suddenly, Team HRWBY minus Hope were quickly disarmed and there arms and legs were frozen in place by ice._


	26. Vol 2: The Boy The World Saw

_Jaune is sleeping during the night inside Team EJNPR's dormroom._

"Waffles..." Said Jaune.

 _Jaune suddenly wakes up to a call on his Scroll, with the ringtone "It's a Big Ursa!" playing._

"Hello?" Asked Jaune.

 _Jaune hears noise for six seconds from Ruby's Scroll before the call ends._

"Uh, Ruby?" Asked Jaune.

 _Jaune then got a text message, witch read "E is dead". Later on, Team EJNPR minus Emily walks at dawn towards their Bullhead._

"I'm sure they're fine" Said Pyrrha. "You think?" Asked Jaune. "Probably a butt dial..." Said Nora. "Team HRWBY has always performed exceptionally in the field. We should be focusing on our own mission" Said Ren. "We're gonna be deputies" Said Nora. "I just got this feeling... I don't know" Said Jaune. "Jaune..." Said Pyrrha.

 _Suddenly, alarms ring out as they see the city up in smoke._

"We're changing our mission. Everyone on board!" Shouted Jaune.

 _Suddenly, the city became encased in a glowing dome, powerful enough to cut an unlucky airship in half._

"Wow!" Shouted Nora. "Who? Who has that kind of power?" Asked Jaune.

 _Mercury Black, Cinder Fall, and Emerald Sustrai watch nearby._

"You don't think..." Said Emerald. "Well. I guess the ball is in my court now" Said Cinder, before she walked away, as did Murcury and Emerald after a few seconds.

 _A man in a hoodie walks through Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang, limbs still frozen to the ground._

"Do you have any food?" Asked Yang. "Do you work with the Grimm!?" Asked Blake. "Friend? Or foe?" Asked Weiss. "Who are you?" Asked Ruby. "I don't have food. I'm definitely a friend. You can't work with the Grimm, and..." Said the man, before his hoodie transformed into embers, and changed into a white trenchcoat, revealing the man to be Hope, with white and red hair, one red eye and one white eye. "... My name is Hope. I think you all know me very well. Now. How to deal with Grimm? That's my question. And my answer is this. Magic" Said Hope, as he put a diamond ring on his left middle finger. A cream belt with a black hand in the middle appeared around Hope's waist. "Now, my team. Watch me kill some Grimm" Said Hope, as he used two levers on the sides of the belt to flip the hand. "SHABADOOBI, TOUCH TO HANSHIN! SHABADOOBI, TOUCH TO HANSHIN! SHABADOOBI, TOUCH TO HANSHIN! SHABADOOBI, TOUCH TO HANSHIN!" Declared the belt. "Now. Let's henshin!" Shouted Hope, before he placed his left hand on the belt's hand, before pointing his left hand down. "INFINITY! INFINITY! INFINITY! INFINITY! INFINITY!" Declared the belt, as a giant circler sigil, big enough to cover the entirety of the town they were in, appeared. A shiny dome then raised from the edges of the sigil, unfortunately cutting one unlucky airship in half. "INFINITY! PLEASE! HI, SUI, FUU, DOUH! BOUN, ZABA, BYUNN, DAGON!" Declared the belt, as a dragon flew out of the belt, witch flew through some Grimm, turning them into dust. The dragon then flew into Hope, covering him in solid diamonds. "Hope!" Shouted Yang, Blake, Weiss and Ruby. The diamond then exploded off of Hope, finishing the transformation into Kamen Rider Wizard Infinity Styles. "This is the field. Sigil World" Said Hope, as he summoned the Axcaliber. "He looks amazing!" Shouted Ruby. Suddenly, a Beowolf attempted to claw Ruby in the face, but Hope blocked it with the Axcaliber. "So fast" Said Yang. Hope then stabbed the Beowolf, turning it into dust. "Now, it's my time in the spotlight... despite being it it for a few weeks now" Said Hope, before he started slashing through the Grimm. "He's become so... eccentric!" Shouted Weiss. "I know" Said Ruby. "What changed?" Asked Blake. "The world I see" Thought Hope, as he cut off a Deathstalker's head. "I see the world differently now. Not as a monochromatic set of good, evil and neutral. Not as white, black and grey. But as all colours. Might not make sense to them, but it does to me. No one is just good, no one is just evil, and no one is just in the middle" Said Hope. Suddenly, a King Taiju swallowed Hope, but he cut his way out. Hope then held the Axcaliber by the blade. "TURN ON!" Declared the Axcaliber. "Grimm! This is your end!" Declared Hope, as he pressed on the hand in the middle of the Axcaliber. "HIGH TOUCH! SHINING STRIKE! KIRA KIRA! KIRA KIRA! KIRA KIRA! KIRA KIRA!" Declared the Axcaliber, as it started growing in size. Hope then held the Axcaliber at the end, and swung it in a circle, destroy all of the Grimm within the Sigil Dome. Hope then canceled his transformation, and the Sigil Dome disappeared.

 _Later on, Team HRWBY and EJNPR minus Emily meets in the pavilion as Roman Torchwick is escorted by Atlesian Knight-200s towards an Atlesian airship._

"Oh, I can't believe that you caught me, you've really taught me the error of my ways. He-hey, watch the hat!" Shouted Roman. Hope then ran toward Roman and jumped before using a running single leg dropkick on Roman, knocking him out, before running back. "Sorry. He's really annoying" Said Hope. "Yeah" Said Yang. "Well. We should head back to Beacon" Said Hope. "Hope, ah, Emily is..." Said Pyrrha. "I know. She's dead, well, worse even. Poofed" Said Hope.

 _A airship landed in front of teams HRWBY and now JNPR. A blonde man and Zwei then came out of the cockpit._

"Dad!" Shouted Yang and Ruby, before they hugged the man. "Who is that?" Asked Hope. "Oh, Hope, Weiss, Blake, this is Taiyang, our dad" Said Ruby. "Yes I am, and I'm not too happy. Ruby, Yang, why did you send Zwei back!? I wasn't at home. You're lucky that I managed to find him in his tube" Said Taiyang. "Oh, that was me. Sorry. My friend doesn't like dogs. She has allergies" Said Hope. "Oh. Ah..." Said Taiyang. "I'll make an effort to stay out of contact" Said Blake. "Oh, well, it'll be fine then" Said Hope.

 _Atlesian Knight-200s start leading out some of the unmasked White Fang, and towards a Atlesian airship, as Hope looked over._

"Hey, Knights!" Shouted Hope, as he walked over to the unmasked White Fang and the Atlesian Knight-200s. "What is it, human male?" Asked a Knight. "Release them. They are my secret army. They are my personal Garuda Guard" Said Hope, as he held up a blank piece of paper. "Scanning... confirmed. These former prisoners are the Garuda Guard" Said the Knight, as the energy cuffs that were around the unmasked White Fang turned off, and the Knights walked onto the airship. "Well. I suggest that you all find a new base. And get to opposing the White Fang. What shall you name yourselfs?" Asked Hope. "... The Army of the Last Hope" Said Vega.

 _Afterwards, Team HRWBY and Zwei are sitting on the edge of Beacon's landing platform, overlooking the City of Vale from across the lake._

"Well, we did it" Said Yang. "We did it" Said Blake. "Hooray" Said Hope. "If we don't get extra credit for that, I'm gonna be seriously disappointed" Said Weiss. "Weiss, a two-headed snake literally crushed a bakery. I wouldn't count on it" Said Yang. "We still got a happy ending. That's what matters" Said Hope. "Yay, teamwork, camaraderie, good guys, go team, alright, good job... So, what now?" Asked Yang. "... Kissing" Said Hope, before he kissed Ruby, with Ruby trying to push Hope off of her, before he stopped. "Sorry, brain impulses. I dunno why that happened. I blame your cuteness" Said Hope. "... I suggest training for the tournament, but I guess we have that covered at this point" Said Weiss. "So then..." Said Blake. "We sleep. I haven't in a few days" Said Hope. "Absolutely" Said Blake. "Yes" Said Weiss. "I'm going to sleep forever" Said Yang.

 _Team HRWBY and Zwei then stand up and heads back towards Beacon's main campus. The camera cuts to Ironwood, looking towards Beacon and Ozpin's office through a window._

"You brought this on yourself" Said Ironwood.

 _Ironwood then walks toward a heavily guarded Roman in his holding cell, albeit without his signature hat._

"Leave us" Said Ironwood.

 _The soldiers leave Ironwood alone, so that he can talk to Roman._

"I've been informed that so far you've refused to co-operate with the authorities" Said Ironwood. "I know this might be hard to believe, General, but uh... I'm not the biggest fan of local law enforcement" Said Roman. "How about the world's strongest military power?" Asked Ironwood. "Hmm.. first impressions... not great" Said Roman. "I'm going to give you one chance. Who's really behind all this?" Asked Ironwood. "Isn't it obvious? You're looking at him" Said Roman. "Hm.. Very well then" Said Ironwood.

 _Ironwood starts walking away_

"What's the matter, General? I thought you wanted to talk" Said Roman. "The council's given me custody over you for as long as I see fit. So you can make yourself comfortable. I can be sure that you'll have plenty of time to talk" Said Ironwood. "Oh, wonderful. Hehehe..." Said Roman.

 _The camera pans towards Roman's face as he laughs. His holding cell door closes. Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald meet discreetly at a rooftop._

"All in all, I call today a success" Said Cinder. "Those stupid kids really made a mess of things" Said Emerald. "Yeah. A lot of Faunus didn't make it out the tunnels. You still think the White Fang's gonna listen to us?" Asked Murcury. "No, but they'll listen to me" Said Adam.

 _The camera pans to Adam Taurus. Hope appears in front of everyone._

"Cinder. Our deal is off" Said Hope.

 _Hope disappears, as the camera cuts to black as the end credits roll. In a post-credits scene, Yang is walking in the Beacon Academy courtyard towards a mysterious swordswoman._

"Who are you?" Asked Yang.

 _The mysterious swordswoman removes her mask, revealing herself to be Raven Branwen, similar to Yang in appearance._

"Yang, we have a lot to talk about. Get ready. It's all going to hell" Said Raven.

 _The camera cuts back to Yang, whose eyes have turned red, then cuts to black._


	27. Vol 3: Round One

_Opens with a view of the golden sun in an orange sky over the tall grass and autumn trees. In front of Summer's Gravestone is a young girl with a cloak billowing petals in the breeze. Hands clasped and hood up, Ruby Rose stands over the white stone memorial._

"Hey, mom. Sorry I haven't come by in a while. Things have been... well, things have been, pretty busy. Oh, Dad's here, too! He's, uh, you know... Dad. He's still teaching at Signal. But he told me that he's going to be on some mission soon. I think he misses adventuring with you. I miss you too. Hope, the leader of my team, has made sure I haven't gotten kicked out of Beacon yet! So that's cool. I think being on a team with Yang helps. He likes her a lot. She's actually a really great fighter! You can tell she's learned a lot from Dad! Oh, so are Weiss and Blake. Oh! They're my teammates! Together, we form Team HRWBY! And yes, before you ask, that does cause a lot of confusion. How would you say it? Anyways, I made a bunch of new friends, and then I met some... let's just say, uh, odd teachers. Oh! We've also stopped some bad guys, too! I guess it's like they say: "like mother, like daughter"! I still wonder why Ozpin let me into the school early. But uh, I guess he'll tell me one day. You know how he is. It's funny, the more I get to know him, the more he's starting to sound like Uncle Qrow. Oh! Looks like Dad's back! I gotta go! He's dropping me off at Beacon for the tournament match before he goes on his next mission. Wish me luck! It was good to talk" Said Ruby.

 _With that said, Ruby jogs back to her family as a group of crows fly into the sun to make a very familiar sight. A falling petal shifts the view of the camera away from the sky and over the grassy mountains, where a stadium of epic proportions is seen. Crowds are cheering in the stands, visitors from all over the world. In the field of volcanic earth and icy glaciers below, Ruby fires and swings her Crescent Rose at an off-screen target as Blake Belladonna exchanges blows with Reese Chloris, the blades of her Gambol Shroudcolliding with the hoverboard of her opponent until she flips away, readies herself, and charges in again. Behind her, Weiss Schnee waves her Myrtenaster as the sound of her mystical power is heard, and finally Yang Xiao Long dodges the explosive force of Arslan Altan's fist before returning fire with her own Ember Celica. High above the action, two familiar teachers are sitting at a sportscaster's desk, with a microphone between them and the holographic image of the four kingdoms' symbols united as one._

"Hello! It seems that we have another astonishing bout ahead of us! Wouldn't you agree, Professor?" Said Port. "Doctor. And yes Peter, I think it's safe to say this match may be the closest we've seen of the four-on-four round of the tournament!" Declared Oobleck. "For those of you just now joining us, welcome to the Vytal Festival Tournament, broadcast live from the Amity Colosseum!" Declared Port.

 _He waves his arm to gesture at the entire event from his place on the gigantic screen over the crowds. The Coliseum is shown in its full glory, as shuttle craft transport people to and from the various floors while the entire structure hovers around the airspace of Beacon Academy. Explosions are seen throughout the battlefield, but the view shifts back to the announcers as they begin speaking again._

"If this is your first time watching, allow us to break down the rules" Said Port. "The tournament is divided into three distinctive rounds; teams, doubles, and singles. Age and school year are irrelevant! In this tournament, your only attribute being tested... is skill" Said Oobleck. "Correct! The winners of this battle will elect two of their members to represent them in the doubles round, followed by the winners of that round choosing one member to advance once again. The remaining combatants will then fight their way through the final bracket in the hope of achieving victory for their kingdom" Said Port. "And yes, Peter, these certainly are some spectacular spectacles on which to spectate on! I don't think anyone tuning in around the world is going to disagree with me on that" Said Oobleck. "Ahh, and why would they? Now, let's get back to the match between Team RWBY of Beacon, and Team ABRN, of Haven" Said Port.

 _The announcements cut back to the action, as Reese steers her board through the ice. She twirls herself until the board gets launched at Blake, but she's able to knock it away, only for Reese to direct it back at her opponent. Blake blocks it again, but the board rotates back to its wielder just in time to defend Reese as Blake delivers several slashes and kicks. Reese deflects each attack and spins her weapon around until she can flips way and ride it again, rushing towards a smirking Blake. She collides with the frozen shadow clone, and Blake uses his opportunity to slice the board in two, only for the halves to become dual katars that in turn fold up into bayonet-bladed revolvers. Reese manages to fire off a few green rounds before her tailbone collides painfully on the cold ground. Blake winces with sympathy. Meanwhile, Yang lands mere feet away from Arslan, who backs away before being pounded by a flurry of punches and kicks until she delivers her own hits, ending with the two smashing fists and creating a shockwave of force from the impact. Yang and Arslan are both thrown back, but Yang reaches her and tries delivering more blows before Arslan uses her rope dart to tangle up her blonde adversary and land a kick of her own to send Yang skidding on the ground. While Yang tries to get her balance back on the slippery surface, Arslan rushes forward and knocks her back even further. Nearby, Nadir Shiko tries aiming with his assault rifle at Yang before a sudden burst of frosty blue explodes behind him and leaves the whimpering gunner in a block of ice up to his thighs._

"Got your back!" Shouted Ruby. "But who's got yours?" Asked Bolin, as Ruby looks up behind her as Bolin twirls his staff, right when a black snowflake glyph appears to his left and Weiss kicks him through it into a rock. "My BFF!" Declared Ruby. "No" Said Weiss, as she ran off. "Yes" Whispered Ruby.

 _Bolin crouches with his weapon as he sees a white glyph appear in front of him. A second later, Weiss dashes by and slashes at him, then leaps up and attempts an aerial attack, which he's able to block. She readies her sword while preparing a glyph behind her, and Ruby uses it to launch herself straight up and come down spinning on Bolin, who manages to block the curved blade. Ruby grimaces and blasts herself away to Weiss' side, and Bolin rushes at them, rolling away from the shards of ice that rain on him and jumping over Ruby's swing as he continues running._

"Whaaat!?" Asked Ruby.

 _Bolin manages to reach an orange crystal deposit and slice off a shard, which he throws to Reese over in the icy half of the stadium. With Dust in hand, Reese fuses it with her board, turning the aqua lights to a crimson shade. She winks at Blake, then uses the board's heat to free Nadir from his icy snare. She comes back to Blake and slams her board into her enemy's blade, but propels herself backwards and knocks Blake through a frozen pillar. Reese attempts to use her board to slam her foe into the ground, but when she dodges that, she spins around in a flaming arc that Blake narrowly misses thanks to her shadows. Changing tactics, Blake launches the pistol part of Gambol Shroud at a nearby glacier and launches herself behind it, as Reese follows her and sees Blake with her back turned to her under an arch. Reese grins before riding in to deliver a flaming spiral at the shadow clone, only to see the ribbon Blake is launching to trap her opponent a moment too late. She pulls tightly and causes Reese to slam body-first into the string, only to use a final kick to knock her out of the stage. Reese crashes into the wall of the stands before landing on the ground, defeated._

"Ooh, a double whammy! Reese Chloris is eliminated by ringout and Aura level!" Declared Port. "Oh, she really should've worn a helmet!" Declared Oobleck.

 _Back in the fight, Arslan uses her rope to swing around and avoid Yang right behind her, using shotgun blasts to propel herself forward. Nadir comes into the picture, aiming his rifle at Weiss as she summons another glyph and launches Bolin at him. The two teammates are helpless as Weiss creates a whirlwind from underneath them and slamming the two together until she forms a giant ice fist straight up from the ground to trap the two. It reforms itself into a ball that rolls around the field, and when Arslan sees her team in this state, she rolls her eyes, annoyed, before changing direction and sliding into the path of the ball. She readies her stance and drives her hand into the sphere, which cracks under her power and frees her allies._

"Yang! NOW!" Shouted Weiss.

 _Knowing what to do, Yang blasts herself forward and skims over the wall of ice, catching Blake's pistol as her teammate uses Ruby as a launch pad to jump off of towards the remaining members of ABRN. The three only have a second to look horrified as Blake whips a screaming Yang around to land a devastating punch that sends the trio flying into their elimination._

"Yes!" Shouted Yang. "And that's the match! Team RWBY is victorious!" Declared Port. "We... did it?" Asked Weiss. "WE DID IIIIII-" Said Ruby, as the scenery changed into fairgrounds. "...is anyone else starving?" Asked Ruby. "I may have worked up an appetite" Said Blake. "Gee, if only there was somewhere on campus to get food around here" Said Weiss, as the view zooms out to show a myriad of tents and small shops wreathed in colorful flags in a large forest clearing as people mill about to experience it all. "Oh, wait" Said Weiss. "It's okay, Weiss, I forget about the fairgrounds, too" Said Ruby. "I was being facetious?" Asked Weiss. "Gah! Well if you were hungry, why didn't you say so!?" Said Ruby. "Come on! I know just the place" Said Yang.

 _Team RWBY starts to follow Yang, but Weiss suddenly stops as she hears a ringtone on her Scroll. Pulling it out, she sees the caller ID labeled "FATHER", and glares at the device, putting it back from where she got it, unanswered._

"Hey! Might be hard to eat without this" Said Emerald, holding Ruby's wallet. "No, no, no, no" Said Ruby, as she frantically patted around her outfit, panicking. "Good to see you, Ruby" Said Emerald, as she gave Ruby her wallet back. "Oh! Thanks, Emerald! Oh. Guess I dropped it. Girl pockets are the worst" Said Ruby. "What's up, Em?" Asked Yang. "Just left the stadium after your amazing fight! You guys were awesome!" Declared Emerald. "Oh, shut your stupid little face..." Mumbled Ruby. "I heard your team progressed to the next round too" Said Blake. "You know, I feel that we haven't seen your other teammates" Said Weiss. "How'd they do in the fight?" Asked Yang.

 _Emerald tilts her head up in thought, remembering how she blasted opponents with her revolvers, then slashed behind her as Mercury Black kicks out a shotgun blast with his boots. Cinder Fall did the same with her own target, landing the poor soul at the feet of their teammate, a mysterious black-haired girl who leans over and stares down as the camera focuses on how her green eyes blink into a pair of pink and brown irises as she smirks while delivering a stomp on her victim's face into darkness._

"Really well" Said Emerald. "That's great. Uh. Why don't we all go and get a victory food together?" Asked Ruby. "Oh, gosh, that's so nice of you, but my teammates are all kind of introverted. Really socially awkward" Said Emerald, as Mercury sniffed a boot behind Emerald. "Ooh, yeah, I could see that" Said Yang. "Oh yeah, looks like Merc and I are going to move on to the doubles round. What about you guys?" Asked Emerald. "Well, as the temporary leader of this team, I thought long and hard about this decision" Said Ruby. "We put it to a vote" Said Weiss. "Yes, so, but I decided that we should put it to a vote" Said Ruby. "We voted for..." Said Blake. "Me and Yang will be fighting for team HRWBY in the doubles round. And then I'll go on to the solo round if we win" Said Hope, as he walked towards his team from behind Emerald. "Hope?" Asked Yang. "Yeah, it's me. The second best dueltainer I know, and leader of team HRWBY. Sorry Ruby" Said Hope. "It's ok, I knew you'd come back" Said Ruby. "...Well, if Mercury and I see you down the line, don't think we'll go easy on ya" Said Emerald, nervously. "I wouldn't have it any other way" Said Hope. "Alright, well we're going to catch some more fights" Said Emerald, before she walked away. "Good" Said Hope.

 _At one of the unassuming huts set up in the fairgrounds stringed with paper lanterns with a sign overhead saying A Simple Wok, Team HRWBY sits at the stools outside, ready to order._

"I'll have a bowl of the regular, please" Said Yang, before a large bowl of noodles slides in front of her. "Oohhh... I'll take the same" Said Ruby, before a large bowl of noodles slides in front of her, as she clasps her hands in excitement. "Do you have anything with a low-salt ...?" Asked Weiss, as a large bowl of regular noodles instantly slides in front of her instead. "Um... okay..." Said Weiss.

 _Instead of saying anything, Blake merely gives a nod and smile to the Shopkeep, who returns the gesture as he rushes through one door of his shop and comes out the other to leave a large bowl of noodles topped with fish in front of her. Blake's eyes light up as she drools over her order. While Weiss looks strangely at her teammate, Hope gladly offers his credit card to the Shopkeep._

"I'll get a chicken stir-fri thing" Said Hope, before a large bowl of regular noodles, with chicken on top of it, came Hope's way. "Nice" Said Hope. "Thanks for buying us lunch, Hope" Said Ruby, as the Shopkeep gave Hope back his credit card. "Anyday" Said Hope. "So, Hope. Why'd you leave?" Asked Weiss. "I wanted to explore. And I found amazing things. I say universes end and begin. I found dimensions made up by madmen and learned things that would make gods kill themselves..." Said Hope, witch shocked his team. "Just kidding, I met up with some woman called the ancient one. She was cool. She taught me a lot about magic" Said Hope. "Really?" Asked Yang. "Yeah" Said Hope. "Hello again" Said Pyrrha, as she walked over to Team HRWBY with Jaune, Ren and Nora. "Pyrrha" Said Hope. "Oh! Hope's back! That's awesome!" Declared Nora, as she hugged Hope. "Yeah, I'm back" Said Hope. "So, you're up next?" Asked Blake. "Yes" Said Pyrrha. "So, you think you guys are ready?" Asked Ruby. "Of course! We've got a world-renowned fighter on our team, one's basically ninja, I can bench five of me, Jaune, we trained all year, our weapons are awesome, Glynda barely yells at us anymore, and uh... Jaune" Said Nora. "Are you gonna take that?" Asked Ren. "She's not wrong" Said Jaune. "Ren, you kinda sounded different for a second" Said Hope. "Nah" Said Ren. "I'm kidding, he knows I'm kidding. Don't be so nervous! The worst that can happen is we lose, that is just a few more years of walking around school with everyone knowing we're failures, our friends will slowly abandon us to preserve their social status, we won't be able to show our faces in class, no one will sit with us in the cafeteria, Ren and I have no parents, we have no home left to go to, we'll be officially renamed Team Lose-iper" Said Nora. "... Nah. I'd still be your friend" Said Hope. "So, yeah, we're feeling pretty good" Said Ren. "Don't fret. If anything, we should be looking forward to a fight with actual guidelines, and not, well, ...murderers" Said Pyrrha. "Yeah, don't sweat it, we've all faced way worse before" Said Yang. "Let's see. Grimm invasions, violent extremists, a destructive sociopath..." Said Blake. "... a demon god thing, the Grimm Invasion thing was me..." Said Hope. "And that's all while were still in training! Oh, imagine what it would be like to graduate" Said Ruby. "Maybe then I'll be able to pay for a meal" Said Weiss. "Would Team JNPR please report to the battlegrounds immediately" Said Port. "Yes! Like they were scheduled to, several minutes ago" Said Oobleck. "Well, it looks like this is it" Said Pyrrha. "Go get 'em" Said Hope.

 _Team RWBY enter the Coliseum through one of its tunnels and head to their seats as Emerald and Mercury are seen walking behind them to do the same. Down in the field below, the scorched ground and cold plains are no more, and only a layer of white mechanics is left, with a central stage on which the two teams gather._

"I wonder who's gonna win" Said Murcury. "Tch. As if we didn't already know" Said Emerald, as Cinder walked up behind them, showing off her new outfit of jeans, an orange jacket, and sarashi bandages over her chest as she takes an unpopped kernel from Mercury's bucket. "Oh, come now. Even if you know how the story ends, that doesn't make it any less fun to watch" Said Cinder, as her eyes glow with her fingertips and the kernel finally pops, which Hope takes from her hand. "Thanks, darling. That was really nice of you. Popping a piece of popcorn for me. However could I repay you?" Asked Hope. "You!?" Asked Cinder. "Me" Said Hope. "Team JNPR of Beacon versus Team BRNZ of Shade!" Declared Port.

 _As each team readies their poses, a circle of holographic roulettes start spinning frantically through various symbols and colors before finally landing on a green pine tree and gray thunderstruck mountain. With these random selections, half of the field opens to reveal a tree-filled forest, while the other raises a small rocky outcropping to fill in the circle. Jaune narrows his eyes in concentration; Ruby "WHO-HOOOO"s loudly from her seat._

"Three, two, one, begin!" Declared Port. "Start your engines, Cinder. Let the games begin. You've kept your promise, I assume? So shall I" Said Hope.

 _As the start of the match, each team leaps forward at the other, ready to begin fighting just as the scene cuts to black and the opening starts playing._


	28. Vol 3: Midcard

_After the opening, the scene starts on the familiar shot of Team JNPR readying themselves against their opponents in the Amity Colosseum, the mountains to their back and forest on the other side. A large holographic screen counts down with Peter Port over the crowd's cheering._

"3... 2... 1..." Said Port. "Come on guys" Said Jaune. "BEGIN!" Shouted Port.

 _All four members of JNPR charge forward, but only three fighters from BRNZ do the same; the beanie-wearing May Zedong turns around and heads into the trees, cocking her weapon. In the center of the field, leader Brawnz Ni delivers a knee kick to Pyrrha Nikos' shield that sends her skidding back, right before she blocks the claws on his fists with her xiphos. She jerks her sword away and makes him leap back, just as the sniper jumps up into the branches of the forest with the bladed butt of her sniper rifle. Lie Ren readies his StormFlower to attack Nolan Porfirio, who almost gets blindsided by Nora Valkyries swing with Magnhild before he ducks under the attack and attempts to hit her with his cattle prod. The sniper girl finally takes aim from her spot and manages to fire off two rounds near Ren, destroying the rocks behind him. Jaune manages to block the buzzsaw gloves of Roy Stallion with his own shield before he notices the bullets flying and sees the glint of the gun in the leaves._

"R-R-Retreat!" Shouted Jaune. "Oh god..." Said Hope.

 _Ren glances back at his leader as a shot hits the ground by his feet. He and Nora start running back into the mountains as Jaune and Pyrrha cover their escape by blocking the bullets with their shields. The four leap over a rocky outcropping for cover._

"What do we do?" Asked Pyrrha, as Jaune looked over the edge to see the melee fighters closing in. "Spread out! Try to keep moving!" Shouted Jaune, as his team follows this just as Brawnz lands a punch on Jaune's shield.

 _May gets even higher in the tree and smiles from behind her scope as she looks at the fight below. Brawnz and Pyrrha continue to duke it out while Nolan slowly advances on Ren when he slides into his path. The prod-wielding warrior looks back at the trees and nods to his hidden ally, who shoots at Ren's feet again and makes him jump around trying to dodge them. Just as he lands, Nolan hits him upside the head with his weapon, and is able to miss the retaliatory kick with another blow to the knee and a final hit to the chest using the business end of his prod. Electricity shoots through Ren's body before he collapses to the ground beside his childhood friend._

"Ren!" Shouted Nora.

 _Scowling, Nora takes a swing at Nolan, who promptly dodges it and again unleashes his weapon's power into her corset, though this causes a quite different reaction from the grinning redhead._

"Oh-ho! Looks like one of my favorite students, Nora Valkyrie, is charging up to use her Semblance!" Declared Port. "What?" Asked Nolan, panicked. "Yes, Ms. Valkyrie's Semblance lets her produce, as well as channel, electrical energy straight to her muscles! This allows her to jump explosively into the air, wield her mighty hammer, or in this case, absorb Nolan's attacks and send the young man flying!" Declared Port. "What?!" Asked Nolan.

 _Nolan finally takes his cattle prod away, but the damage is done: Nora flexes her arms as pink lightning is seen coursing through her body. Nolan attempts to lift his hands up in surrender, but thunder starts sparking from Nora's Aura as she rushes at him. There's a split-second where Nolan's horrified face and Nora's victorious smile are seen close-up on the sides of the screens before the hammer hits head-on and Nolan bounces back across the field, crashing through a rock and staying there when he's stopped moving. Jaune looks back at the mountaintop on his team's side as a dark storm cloud appears over it, cackling with lightning. He looks over at his energized teammate._

"Nora, get to the mountain" Said Jaune. "You got it!" Shouted Nora, as she sprinted off to start her climb. "Ren, try and distract the sniper" Said Jaune. "Sure... Why not" Said Ren, as he almost got hit.

 _The remaining three members of JNPR run forward as Nora hops up and rapidly ascends the mountain. Roy throws the saws from his gloves into Jaune's shield, which still manages to bend the metal and slam the leader's own defense in his face before the weapons return back to their master. Pyrrha gets up close to him, and he delivers a series of spinning swings with his arms into Akoúo̱ as Jaune shakes off his disorientation and charges into battle yet again._

"Yeah! Go get 'em, Jaune!" Shouted Ruby. "Well, he's certainly improved" Said Weiss. "Yeah, but he ain't got nothing on Pyrrha!" Shouted Yang. "I'm liking that BRNZ team" Said Hope. "Yeah, they're doing good" Said Cinder. "I can't wait to face you in the doubles rounds" Said Hope. "I'm not going to be in the doubles round" Said Cinder. "... They are? A thief and a boot sniffer?" Asked Hope. "What?" Asked Cinder. "He was sniffing boots before. He was sticking out, he coulda jeopardised" Said Hope, earning Murcury a glare from Cinder.

 _Back in the fight, Pyrrha is taking on both Brawnz and Roy, delivering a kick to one as she deftly dodges and blocks the discs of the other, throwing her javelin to distract the latter while she somersaults back to use both feet in landing a blow on Brawnz. May attempts to shoot Ren while he dashes his way toward her position, leaping out of the way of her shots, the flying saws, and even sliding under Pyrrha before he runs at Nolan, weapons blasting until he's close enough to start swinging his blades away. He ducks and deflects each of the cattle prod's attempted hits until he manages to hold it in the pistol's blades and double kicks his opponent, giving him the opportunity to catch Nolan's weapon in his own as the prod is forced behind Nolan's head and leaves him trapped. Ren hides behind the teammate of the sniper, who stops aiming at him and lifts her barrel up to another target._

"Nora!" Shouted Ren, as he kept Nolan in place, and as Jaune catches Brawnz's claws with his blade while Nora lifts herself higher and higher to the top. "Pyrrha! Up!" Shouted Jaune.

 _His partner rushes towards him, dodge rolling to avoid a launched saw until she bounds over Brawnz and lands on Jaune's shield. He manages to throw her into the air with her own shield raised to block the kill-shot aimed at Nora. This gives the redhead just enough time reach the peak, and she lifts her hammer up as a bolt of lightning hits the weapon directly. She changes it back into grenade-launching form and pops the front off to reveal six explosives that shoot out over the field in a heart-shaped formation onto the sniper. The poor girl barely has time to gawk before she leaps over to a nearby tree just as the one she was in goes up in pink flames, leaving only a giant scorch mark billowing smoke to block out the coughing sniper's view. She jumps down from the branches just as her three teammates look up and behind them at Nora coming down on them like a meteor, slamming her hammer into the ground and sending the enemies back at the feet of their disoriented teammate._

"This is it, guys! Let's finish 'em with team attacks! Ren! Nora! Flower Power!" Shouted Jaune. "Wait, what?" Asked Ren. "F-Flower Power. That's your team attack name!" Shouted Jaune. "Since when?" Asked Ren. "Guys, we've been over this! Flower Power is Ren and Nora! Ren brings a flower, Nora brings the power!" Shouted Jaune. "How do I bring a flower?" Asked Ren. "No, silly, not a flower! Flour, like in baking" Said Nora. "Why would I bring that?" Asked Ren. "I- Uh- No, it's your symbol!" Shouted Jaune. "Sooo, what are we?" Asked Pyrrha. "Pyrrha!" Shouted Jaune. "Sorry! I just want to make sure it's clearly defined" Said Pyrrha, as Jaune tried to be patient while Team BRNZ looks more confused than their opponents. "Pyrrha, you and I are Arkos. It's that thing, when we take our shields? Remember?" Asked Jaune. "Arkos?" Asked Pyrrha. "Cinder, be my lord and saviour and save me from this nightmare" Said Hope, as he side hugged Cinder and buried his head into her side. Cinder just patted the side of his head. "Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Asked Brawnz. "Trying to have a team meeting, thank you very little!" Shouted Jaune. "Yeah! Team ears only!" Shouted Nora, as she points to her own ears to demonstrate. "WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT!" Shouted Brawnz. "AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION! WHAT DON'T YOU GET ABOUT THAT!?" Shouted Jaune. "Um, Jaune?" Asked Pyrrha. "Yes, Pyrrha?!" Shouted Jaune. "I think that he means that we're all in the middle of a fight" Said Pyrrha.

 _The sound of the crowds around them come back in full volume as Jaune remembers the real situation._

"Oh yeah, ah, Nora, just... hit them with the hammer" Said Jaune. "Got it" Said Nora. "Wait, what?!" Asked Brawnz.

 _Before anyone can react, Nora jumps over in front of Team BRNZ, then brings her hammer around to collide with all four screaming fighters as they soar straight into the forcefield surrounding the arena's rim, sliding down to the ground with arms and legs in bent positions they really shouldn't be._

"And with that, it appears Team JNPR wins by knockout, literally! ...Can someone go make sure they're okay?" Said Port. "That was horrible" Said Hope.

 _At the appropriately-named Crow Bar, a gray-haired figure in a tattered red cloak is sitting at the counter with a collection of empty glasses to his side. He takes a swig from another drink as he looks up at the screen above, displaying an image of the victors with the caption "Team JNPR Defeats Team BRNZ!"_

"Huh, those kids weren't half bad" Said the Bartender, as he cleaned a glass.

 _The familiar stranger merely lets out a "Meh" as he raises the beverage back to his lips. The scene flashes to a blue background with white particles gathering into the united tournament symbol of the four kingdoms as it revolves to the left of Oobleck, back in the announcer's box._

"Ah, well, Vacuo fans are sure to be hurting after that one, but this next one will have them on the edge of their seats!" Declared Oobleck. "Team NDGO of Shade is certainly a crowd favorite, but these lovely ladies are going against some of the toughest, testosterone-filled teammates we've seen so far! I'm of course talking about... Team SSSN!" Declared Port, as the camera cuts to the view of a few spectators in the stands holding up signs with each male's face decorated with hearts, the exception being a simple image of a certain set of abs. "Sun Wukong and his team are certainly a force to be reckoned with, and although he'll be representing the Mistral Academy of Haven, I'm sure his friends and family back in Vacuo will be cheering him along!" Declared Port, as Team SSSN walks into the center of the field, waving to the cheering crowds as they do so. "Good luck, Neptune!" Shouted Weiss, as Neptune's waving continues until he spots his four beautiful opponents, which causes him to develop a confident attitude as he addresses them. "Ladies" Said Neptune. "What a jerk" Said Hope, as shock at this simple word turns to Weiss shaking with rage until she angrily gets up and points into the arena. "Break his stupid face, NDGO!" Shouted Weiss. "Alright, girls, try and remember. Hands above the waist" Said Neptune, as Sun grabs Neptune's arm as he apologizes. "Ignore him, for he... Yeah, he's dumb" Said Sun.

 _Neptune simply gives a sparkling wink to the disgusted females as the holographic roulette shows up again, landing on a yellow image of sunny dunes and stone formations until the real thing emerges from below. A small circular light even appears overhead, causing most of the crowd to don sunglasses._

"Alright! Home field advantage!" Shouted Nebula. "Don't get too cocky! That's my turf, too!" Shouted Sun. "I hope I don't get sand in my shoes" Said Scarlet. "Be cool, man" Whispered Sun. "Hey?" Asked Scarlet. "Yeah?" Asked Sun. "Team Love and Stuff?" Asked Scarlet. "Team Love and Stuff" Said Sun. "Hey! The ocean!" Shouted Dew. "Huh?" Asked Neptune, as he turns and sees the random pick for himself, eyes dilated at his goggles reflect the terrifying image, a slight whimper escaping him. "What's wrong with the blue haired boy?" Asked Cinder. "He has quite the emasculating fear of water. I don't understand it either. I just throw a cup of water at him and he either passes out or cries. For a really long time as well. Mainly because tears are made out of water. We went to the pool one time, he put up so many umbrellas around him, that I couldn't see him at all. Moved all the umbrellas, he was reading the dustiest book I've ever seen. He stays away from windows when it rains, he doesn't drink anything but milks and he has never let Weiss kiss him" Said Hope. "3, 2, 1, BEGIN!" Declared Port.

 _As soon as the word is said, Neptune zooms through the enemy team and skids up the mountain behind them._

"Neptune, what are you doing?!" Asked Sage. "Uh, you know, just gaining the higher ground!" Shouted Neptune. "On the enemy's side?!" Asked Sun. "They would never expect it!" Shouted Neptune. "He's not wrong" Said Dew. "Open fire!" Shouted Nebula.

 _Team NDGO goes forward into their turf as Team SSSN follows them, Sage with his sword raised and Scarlet having ditched his coat. He comes up on Octavia Ember emerging out from a nearby arch and tries to slice her with his cutlass. She ducks under the swing and continues sliding away, past the middle of Dew and Sage getting ready to rumble. Sage hefts his giant blade overhead, only to get knocked back by Dew's spear. He glances up in time to see the blonde wave her weapon over the sand to create three small twisters that kick up dust in Sage's face. He looks around as they surround him, but doesn't realize the danger until they coalesce into one big tornado that picks him up off the ground. With his weapon torn out of his grip and screaming in panic, he's totally helpless as the winds throw him and his blade out of the arena._

"And NDGO gains the advantage!" Declared Oobleck.

 _Octavia slides in front of Sun and Scarlet, who ready themselves to fight her just as she spins her sword around and produces a wave of flame that kicks up dust in their faces. Sun manages to jump out of the cloud just in time to call for his replacement in fighting the redhead._

"Neptune!" Shouted Sun.

 _Seeing his leader run from the duel, Neptune leaps down from his position and cocks his gun. Octavia attempts to use another fire attack to blind Neptune, but he simply puts on his goggles and fires a bolt as his opponent, who blocks it with her blade right before seeing Sun leap out of nowhere to deliver a neck-snapping kick to her face. Now furious, Octavia brings her blade onto Sun's Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in its staff form as he spins it all around his body while hitting several parts of hers. He ends it with a jab that knocks Octavia on her back in the sand._

"Oh! And we're down to 3-on-3!" Declared Port.

 _Sun looks at Neptune fighting with Gwen Darcy as she circles him with her flying knives and Scarlet attempting to go weapon-to-weapon with Dew. She merely calls upon another sandy cyclone to lift Scarlet up, and he revolves around the spiral until it launches him over the shipwreck. It seems like he's about to be eliminated at well, but he extends his arms and manages to dive onto a part of the mast, almost losing his balance once the pole's under his feet. He eventually finds his balance right when Nebula closes in and launches an arrow with her crossbow at the mast, using it to jump right up to where Scarlet is. She folds up the sides of her weapon into a blade to cross swords with her opponent, the both of them ducking and missing or getting hit by the hilts until Nebula slams her metal over Scarlet's and forces him to lean back on the post. Luckily, he manages to get his sword back out from the trap and feign a swing at Nebula's feet before knocking into her with his elbow, causing the NDGO leader to fall into the sand below. From his position, Scarlet sees Gwen continue to throw her knives, and he smirks before whipping out his pistol and shooting the hilt guard as a grappling hook to get her by the ankle._

"Gotcha!" Shouted Scarlet.

 _He uses the cord to lift Gwen into the air while he slowly comes down to the ground, only to land directly beneath her as she attempts to protect her modesty while knives start raining down from her dress. Scarlet quickly adopts a pose that somehow allows him to miss every single blade that comes crashing down into the sand at his feet, which he gives a sigh of relief to. His luck doesn't hold when Dew leaps near Sun, causing the monkey Faunus to find his new improvised weapons in the form of two coconuts he knocks out the palm tree beside him, which he throws at his opponent only to get them knocked right back at him, now spontaneously catching fire as they travels. Sun narrowly misses them both, but Scarlet gets one straight to the face, and the other lands in a place that makes him squeal in unimaginable pain while dropping his Aura levels into elimination._

"Nuts! Was really hopeing Team Love and Stuff would last longer" Said Sun, as he looks from Scarlet to Dew as she summons a few water blue tornadoes that he tries to dodge around. "Uh, Neptune? Could use some help, buddy!" Shouted Sun. "Uh, you know, uh, it would probably be better if you came over here! Yeah, I can guard this... sector! We're in lockdown mode!" Declared Neptune, as Sun looks around infuriated as Nebula manages to shoot the cord holding Gwen up in the background. "What are you talking about? There's nothing to lock down!" Shouted Sun. "Lockdown! Right! You got it!" Shouted Neptune as Sun, jumping out from Dew's attempt to pierce him with her spear as he calls out to Neptune. "Dude, I know you're afraid of water, but you gotta" Said Sun, as he stops yelling when a blue shot knocks an attacking Dew out of midair and into the water. "There! I helped! Are you happy now!? Also, I am not afraid of water, and I have no idea what you are talking about!" Shouted Neptune.

 _Dew manages to get back up as Nebula and Gwen join their comrade, lifting their weapons and ready to fight once more._

"NEPTUNE!" Shouted Sun. "Okay, fine! Just get out of the water!" Shouted Neptune. "This is so painful" Said Hope.

 _Neptune jumps over to a spot near the coastal line next to Sun, and he unfolds his weapon into its trident form before tip-toeing forwards and, eyes closed, plunges the sparking prongs into the water. The energy surges through the deep until the remaining members of NDGO are electrocuted and kneel in the water, smoking and defeated with the sound of the buzzer._

"And with that, Team SSSN moves on to the doubles round! You know what I call that victory?" Asked Port. "Shocking?" Asked Oobleck. "No, well earned. What you said is stupid" Said Port.

 _Oobleck turns away, frowning. The scene then turned back to the Crow Bar._

"Now that was a match!" Shouted the Bartender. "Heh, that was a mess" Said the patron. "Come on man, you didn't like them, the Vale kids, or any of the rounds before that? What fight are you here for?" Asked the Bartender, as the patron saw an aircraft with elegant ribbons flying from its wings behind him. "That one" Said the patron, as he finishes his drink as the world sways with the happily inebriated Huntsman until he slams the glass down on the counter and tosses a few Lien alongside it. "Happy Vytal Festival!" Shouted the patron, as the bartender watches as his sole patron staggers away and puts down the glass he just finished cleaning, only to knock it down and shatter it when he reaches for another one. "Aw, gee darn it!" Shouted the bartender. "Aw, that was so close" Said Ruby, as the sence went back to the arena. "Looks like the dorks made it to the next round" Said Yang, as Blake looks down in the arena where Sun and Neptune are dancing like fools before the fellow Faunus gives her a special double-gun gesture, eliciting a blush from his target. "Emphasis on dork" Said Blake. "Where's Hope?" Asked Weiss. "I dunno" Said Yang. "That concludes the matches for today. Please leave the Coliseum IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION!" Shouted Oobleck, over the speakers. "Come on, let's go congratulate 'em" Said Yang.

 _The four girls get up from their seats, as Hope does, and appears with them and start to head out just as the same ribbon-adorned craft passes over the Colosseum, causing Weiss to stop in her tracks and Ruby to bounce into her._

"Uh, what are you viewing?" Asked Ruby. "She's here" Said Weiss.

 _The Schnee heiress' face displays a mix of joy and anxiety as the screen cuts to black and the credits roll._


	29. Vol 3: Main Event

_After the opening, the scene opens to a shot of Beacon Academy's courtyard at dusk, with Weiss Schnee and Hope running up the main avenue towards the docking bays._

"Weiss! What is the big deal!? Who is it? Who is she?" Asked Hope, as Weiss stops and smiles. "Winter" Said Weiss.

 _The camera then cuts behind Hope and Weiss watching Winter Schnee, escorted by crimson-colored Atlas Soldiers and Atlesian Knight-200's as she exits her airship._

"Oh yeah, her" Said Hope. "Wait. You already know Winter?" Asked Weiss. "No, I've learned of her though" Said Hope. "Winter!" Shouted Weiss, as the two then run up to the elder Schnee as she turns to see them. "Winter! I'm so happy to see you! Oh... Your presence honors us" Said Weiss, as she curtsied. "Hum? Am I missing something? Is she royal? Sorry, Queen Winter" Said Hope, as he bowed. "Beacon... It's been a long time. The air feels... different" Said Winter. "I mean it is fall, so, eh, it's probably colder. Not like I noticed, King Winter" Said Hope, as Weiss punches Hope in the shoulder, causing him to gasp in pain before turning back to her sibling. "So, what are you doing here?" Asked Weiss. "Classified" Said Winter. "Oh, right. Well, how long are you staying?" Asked Weiss. "Classified" Said Winter. "Of course" Said Weiss. "Well... this is nice. The sisters Snchee, back together again" Said Hope "You're going to love it here! I know you travel a lot, but so much of Beacon is different from Atlas! Vale, too. The government and school are completely separate! Can you believe it!? I" Said Weiss. "Weiss. She knows" Said Hope. "Like the boy said. I'm more than familiar with how this kingdom handles its... bureaucracy. That is not why I came" Said Winter. "Right! I'm sorry" Said Weiss. "Nor did I come here to watch my own blood fail so miserably in battle. But it appears that I have no choice in the matter" Said Winter. "But, we won" Said Weiss. "Only a novice would refer to that as a victory. I counted at least three strikes missed. Leave us" Said Winter, before the AK-200s obey, walking two steps backwards into formation as she sighs and smiles a little more warmly at Weiss. "How have you been?" Asked Winter. "Oh, splendid! Thank you for asking. I'm actually in the very top ranking of our sparring class! And the rest of my studies are going wonderfully, too! I'm" Said Weiss, before the camera cuts to Winter's hand as she slaps Weiss, leaving a massive bump on her head. "Silence, you boob! I don't recall asking about your ranking, I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?" Asked Winter. "Well, there's Hope" Said Weiss. "Wow. She hit you pretty hard. You really shoulda thought before you spoke" Said Hope. "I see. So this is the leader you wrote of. How appropriately... underwhelming. Are you the Miracle Boy?" Asked Winter. "The what?" Asked Hope. "Miracle Boy? The one with the power of diamonds?" Asked Winter. "No, I guess?" Asked Hope. "Don't ask me" Said Winter. "Ah... No. Not really. Unless, of course, what you mean by the power of diamonds, you mean my Infinity Wizard Ring" Said Hope, before he showed her the Infinity Wizard Ring. "... I have business with the General and your Headmaster. But, seeing as I'm early, why don't you two take me to your quarters?" Asked Winter. "Really?" Asked Weiss, as she and Winter begin walking towards the Academy, followed by the androids. "Yes. I wish to inspect them and make sure that they are up to my personal standards" Said Winter. "Of course. Just so you're aware, the bunk beds only look unstable" Said Weiss. "Bunk beds?" Asked Winter. "Yeah. And they do not. I did a good job on making them!" Shouted Hope.

 _The camera cuts to Weiss, Winter and the androids walking towards the courtyard, before shifting to first-person view, where a certain someone dizzily sneaks up behind the AK-200s and promptly decapitates one, before kicking its head towards the group._

"Hey!" Shouted the bar guy, as the group turns around to see the man who was previously seen in the Crow Bar. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, Ice Queen!" Shouted the bar guy, as he tosses the decapitated machine aside. "Halt!" Shouted Winter, as one of her automated soldiers advances, rifle raised. "Excuse me! Do you have any idea who you are talking to!?" Asked Weiss, before the bar guy placed his hand on Weiss' face. "Sssshhh. Not you" Said the bar guy, before he pushes her out of his way as he moves forward. "Hey!" Shouted Weiss. "You. Saw that gaudy ship of yours in town. I guess you're here, too" Said the bar guy. "Who is he?" Asked Hope. "Qrow. I'm standing right before you, you know?" Asked Winter. "... So it would seem" Said Qrow. "You realize you just destroyed Atlas Military property" Said Winter. "Oh, oh I'm sorry. See, I mistook this for some sort of... sentient garbage" Said Qrow. "Jeez. I can smell the whiskey" Said Hope. "I don't have time for your immature games, Qrow" Said Winter. "Geez, you Atlas Specialists think you're so special, don't you?" Asked Qrow. "It's in the title" Said Winter. "Well, you know what you really are? A bunch of sellouts. Just like your boss" Said Qrow. "That's enough, sir. You are obviously drunk, delirious, and angry, either at yourself or Winter, I don't care. But I'm not going to allow you to spout lies any longer" Said Hope, as he stepped forward. "This doesn't involve you, kid" Said Qrow. "I'm making it involves me. Either leave or fight me" Said Hope. "You getting kids to fight for you now, ice queen?" Asked Qrow, as he took his sword off of his back, and pointed it at Hope.. "I fight for myself. And I'm 1,018 years old" Said Hope, as he placed a card into a bracelet on his arm. "Augmented Reality Field established. Field chosen: Sledgehammer Castle" Announced the Device. "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages! May I, Hope of Team HRWBY, present to you, an Action Battle!" Declared Hope, as Beacon's courtyard changed into a castle, with a jungle surrounding it, with Hope, Qrow, Winter and Weiss inside of the castle, and Beacons Students on mobile seats. "Here we go" Said Hope, as he took his two Hook Swords and pointed them at Qrow.

 _Qrow then attempted to stab Hope, who countered by moving the blade out of the way. This sequence continued for a while, before Hope ended it by punching Qrow a few times, before hitting Qrow's face with a discus elbow, and then a high knee, knocking Qrow down._

"Wanna apologies now?" Asked Hope.

 _Qrow stood up, changing his sword into its gun mode, and begun shooting at Hope, witch Hope tried to block with his Hook Swords, but ended up getting knocked off of the castle via the impact of the bullets._

"Hope!" Shouted Weiss. "Calm down, Weiss. We must still be in the courtyard, even if this is augmented reality" Said Winter.

 _Meanwhile, as Hope falls from the castle, he takes a green ring, similar to the Infinity Wizard Ring, and uses a ring with a hand on it to activate the WizarDriver. Hope the flips the hand of the WizarDriver, witch starts the chant of "Shabadoobie, Touch To Henshin!"._

"Henshin" Said Hope, as he placed his left hand on the WizarDriver. "Hurricane! Doragon! BYUNN! BYUNN! BYUNN BYUNN BYUNN BYUNN!" Declared the WizarDriver.

 _Meanwhile, with Qrow, Winter and Weiss._

"Hum. I guess I won" Said Qrow. "But you won't when you fight me" Said Winter. "Is that a threat?" Asked Qrow.

 _Suddenly, Hope tackles Qrow through one of the castle walls, and flys him around using the new wings on his back. He starts ramming Qrow into walls, gaining the attention of Glynda Goodwitch, and Ironwood. Hope ends it by throwing Qrow to the ground, breaking the A.R Field. Hope then lands on Qrow's chest, and holds him by his shirt._

"Are you done?" Asked Hope. "Not even close" Said Qrow.

 _Qrow then shot Hope in the face, blinding Hope for a second, before Qrow kicked Hope in the back of the head, knocking him onto his face. Qrow then started shooting Hope in the back. Slowly, Hope managed to use the Copy Ring, making a copy of himself behind Qrow, who slashed Qrow in the back, allowing Hope to get back up. The copy then disappeared._

"I'm gonna end this right now!" Declared Hope, before he swapped the Hurricane Dragon Ring with the Infinity Ring. Hope then placed his left hand on the WizarDriver. "Error" Said the WizarDriver. "What?" Asked Hope, before his transformation suddenly canceled itself. "Ok, that's odd" Said Hope. "Aw, what's the matter? Can't keep your magic up?" Asked Qrow. "I guess" Said Hope. Qrow then attempted to stab Hope once again, but suddenly, Glynda stopped it with her Crop. "Break it up, everyone! I'll will take care of this mess" Said Glynda, before Qrow put his weapon away. "Thanks" Said Hope. "Didn't know you were back" Said Glynda. "Ok" Said Hope, before he walked over to Winter and Weiss. "... That was amazing" Said Winter. "So. Am I your Miracle Boy?" Asked Hope.

 _The scene shifts to Ozpin's office late at night. Ironwood is waiting with his arms crossed while Winter is impatiently pacing about. Suddenly, a smirking Qrow, accompanied by Goodwitch and Ozpin, arrive in the elevator._

"What were you thinking!?" Asked Winter. "If you were one of my men, I would have you shot!" Shouted Ironwood. "If I was one of your men, I'd shoot myself" Said Qrow. "While I wouldn't condone his behavior, Hope's retaliation certainly didn't help the situation" Said Glynda. "Well, he was a good fighter" Said Winter. "And he is the Miracle Boy" Said Qrow. "Anyways, Qrow, why are you here?" Asked Ozpin. "You've been out of contact for weeks! You can't just go dark like that in the field!" Shouted Ironwood. "I'm not one of your special operatives, Jimmy!" Shouted Qrow. "General" Said Winter. "Whatever. You sent me to get intel on our enemy, and I'm telling you, our enemy is here" Said Qrow. "We know" Said Ironwood. "Oh! Oh, you know! Well, thank goodness I'm out there risking my life to keep you all informed!" Shouted Qrow. "Qrow" Said Ironwood. "Communication's a two-way street, pal. You see this?" Asked Qrow, as he pulls out his Scroll and points to it. "That's the SEND button" Said Qrow. "They had reason to assume you'd been compromised" Said Winter. "And I have reason to assume you don't need to be here" Said Qrow, as he pointed to Winter. "Seriously, who invited her?" Asked Qrow. "Snchee, we'll discuss this incident back at my ship" Said Ironwood. "But sir" Said Winter. "Winter. Leave." Said Ironwood. "Yes sir" Said Winter, as she turns on her heel and gives the winking Qrow a dirty look as she exits via the elevator. "Go on" Said Ironwood. "Your little infiltrator isn't just another pawn. They're the one responsible for Autumn's condition" Said Qrow, as he takes a drink from his flask. "What?" Asked Glynda. "Despite what the world thinks, we're not just teachers, or generals, or headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the other two academies, we're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no one even knows about! It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. So you tell me, James, when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet, or did you just not give a damn!?" Asked Qrow, as Hope stood in front of the elevator. "What the hell is Autumn?! Why am I the Miracle Boy?! What is the Miracle Boy?! Is this what's she's after?!" Asked Hope. "How did you get in here?" Asked Glynda, as everyone prepared to fight but Hope and Ozpin. "Answer me!" Shouted Hope. "I do suppose I owe you that kindness. But I'll only tell you about the Miracle Boy" Said Ozpin, as Qrow, Glynda and Ironwood looked confused. "He did single handily save Vale from a Grimm invasion" Said Ozpin, witch caused everyone to put there weapons away. "You see, the Miracle Boy is a powerful user of Aura, Dust and Semibalace" Said Ozpin. "I'm none of those, I don't have any of those, you guys are liers" Said Hope. "Wait. Wrong legend" Said Qrow. "Oh, yeah. Silly old me. The Miracle Boy was born without a Semibalace or Aura. However, he was said to be even more powerful, if not, as powerful as Goliath Grimm. He could bring life back to deserts. Bring people back from death. Make Grimm humanity's ally" Said Ozpin. "And you all believe I can do that? I'm from a different dimension, remember? I wasn't made here" Said Hope, before he left.

 _Cut to a dorm room, where Mercury is sitting in a chair, reporting on the fight he saw earlier, while Cinder Fall walks back and forth, interrogating him with Emerald Sustrai resting on a bed nearby._

"And you're sure?" Asked Cinder. "Bad hair, used a swordgun, and smelled like my dad after a long day. It was him" Said Murcury. "What do we do?" Asked Emerald. "Nothing. We stay the course. They have no idea who we are, so we have no reason to worry. Besides, the last of the heavy lifting is being taken care of thanks to our clever little friend" Said Cinder, as she picks up her Scroll as it too flashes with the Black Queen. "Speaking of which... it appears we have a new access point" Said Cinder, as Ironwood is shown on the Scroll as an icon, along with a curling "W" in the other corner. "Anywhere good?" Asked Emerald. "You could say that. Go to your rooms. I'll prepare everything for tomorrow" Said Cinder. "Yes, ma'am" Said Emerald. "Got it" Said Murcury.

 _The Scroll reveals the roster of the Vytal Festival Tournament doubles round, which includes CRDL's Russel Thrush and Sky Lark, SSSN's Sun Wukong and Scarlet David, and Penny Polendina and Ciel Soleil._

"Let's give the crowd a good fight" Said Cinder.

 _Cinder scrolls down each pair until she selects Mercury and Emerald to face off against Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi in the doubles round. The next morning, the crowd sees the rigged match-up on the screen at the Amity Colosseum._

"The randomization process is complete! Ladies and gentlemen, your doubles tournament fight!" Declared Port.

 _As the announcement is heard, HRWBY cheers with arms raised, JNPR is seen providing applause, and SSSN is shown sitting in front row seats. Bolin Hori and Nolan Porfirio are seen talking to each other behind RWBY, and Dove Bronzewing is sitting behind JNPR. The camera shifts to Cinder, now watching her teammates in the seats as she menacingly claps with a devious smirk, before it cuts to black and the credits roll._


	30. Vol 3: Lessons Learned

_After the opening, the Amity Colosseum is still floating high amid the cheers of an excited audience as the two opposing pairs of partners for the match, the grinning Mercury Black and Emerald Sustraiagainst a confident Coco Adel and meditating Yatsuhashi Daichi, wait in the center of the stadium for the holographic roulette to pick the field._

"Emerald and Mercury of Haven, versus Coco and Yatsuhashi of Beacon!" Declared Port. "Good luck, you two!" Shouted Velvet, from the stands.

 _The Colosseum chooses four fields to rise up from below in quarter sections: A patch of tall grassy plains which has a single tree and some rocks; the ruins of a city, complete with buildings holding shattered windows and rubble among the pavement; a hot spring containing geyser spots along a small river and some blue Dust crystal growths; and a familiar section of dense forest._

"Hey! Love the outfit, kid" Said Coco. "I'll try not to get blood on it" Said Emerald, as Yatsuhashi gets up as he removes his sword from his back. "I can't promise you'll leave without a scratch" Said Yatsuhashi. "I won't be the one bleeding" Said Emerald. "Ooh, I like her" Said Coco. "Three, two, one, begin!" Declared Port.

 _Instead of charging forward, Mercury and Emerald slowly walk back into the tall grass and disappear behind the leaves. Coco and Yatsuhashi smile at each other before the leader pops out her Gatling gun and begins mowing down the field as the crowds of sunglasses-wearing fans roar their approval, even when bullets nearly hit them from the other side of the forcefield. Coco lets up as she and Yatsuhashi realize the two opponents aren't in the plains section anymore._

"Huh?" Asked Coco. "Interesting" Said Hope. "Look out!" Shouted Blake.

 _Mercury drops from the sky, aiming for Coco, but Yatsuhashi pushes her out of the way and blocks the boots with his blade, pushing him back. Coco opens fire at him again, though Mercury is able to outrun each shot._

"He's good" Said Sun. "Yeah, but where's the girl?" Asked Scarlet.

 _Mercury reaches the two and kicks away Coco's weapon while dodging Yatsuhashi's blade, then delivering a double blow to the giant warrior before jumping over Coco's continued barrage of bullets. He lands on the barrels and kicks her in the face, leaping over another of Yatsuhashi's swings, only to let himself be hit so he can get behind Coco and force her to press the muzzle up to her own teammate. Everyone stands still until Coco compresses her weapon back into its handbag form and tries to hit Mercury with Yatsuhashi, but he deftly jumps back and launches two blasts from his boots that the members of CFVY deflect. Coco is unfazed by the one shot, but looks surprised at the dozens of them now spiraling around the handstand-spinning Mercury until he sends all of them at his enemies, a barrage of light and smoke surrounding them that provides the perfect cover for Mercury to appear behind the two. He grabs the both of them by their arms and delivers a flurry of kicks that knocks them back, looking back as a chain comes out from the forest trees to wrap around Coco and pulls her back._

"Coco!" Shouted Yatsuhashi.

 _Despite his cry, Coco disappears into the trees, and he has to endure a blow from Mercury before being able to grab and throw him into the hot spring area. He jumps high in the air as Mercury's still sliding back, but his blade only comes down on his opponent's boots, the shockwave from this clash causing the water to fly back, the earth to crack underneath, and multiple geysers to form around them. Mercury fires his boots and gets out of the hold, aiming a swipe at Yatsuhashi's feet that misses, then ducking around each of his sword's swings. One of his kicks lets loose some stones from the ground, which Mercury kicks into Yatsuhashi and leaves him at the mercy of another foot-happy assault. This leaves his head in a small super-heated geyser, erupting and causing him to scream in pain as he frantically gets up, opening his eyes just in time to see Mercury coming at him. Meanwhile, Coco is still being dragged back into the forest until the chain makes her collide with the trunk of a tree. She shakes it off until she realizes her sunglasses are lying shattered on the ground._

"I take it back; I don't like her" Said Coco.

 _Just as she says this, a green shot rapidly comes at Coco, which she barely manages to jump back from as more come down on her from Emerald's position up in a tree above her. Coco unleashes her Gatling gun again and shoots high in the branches, but Emerald jumps around, using her own revolvers to fire back and change them to sickle form so she can swing from each tree until she suddenly vanishes behind one of them._

"Damn" Said Coco. "Coco" Said Yatsuhashi, as he hobbled towards Coco. "Watch out, she's in the trees" Said Coco, as a buzzer sounds around the arena, Coco looking up to see the footage of his coverage. "Oh, and with that final blow, Yatsuhashi is eliminated!" Declared Port. "What!?" Asked Coco.

 _She looks behind her, only to see no one there. Her hand is shaking on the handle of her gun, and she doesn't even see the blur between the trees moving in for the kill._

"Damn!" Shouted Coco.

 _Little does she know that Emerald is rising up from behind her, blades raised, turning around a second too late. The weapon descends with a ringing gunshot, and Coco is seen flying out of the forest, landing all the way in the center of the stadium next to Yatsuhashi, also knocked unconscious. Emerald swings her sickles by their chains as Mercury looks over their defeated opponents._

"And with an amazing upset, Emerald and Mercury are victorious!" Declared Port. "Coco?" Asked Velvet.

 _Fox places a reassuring hand on Velvet's shoulder as Ruby looks into the stadium at her "friends", no one noticing the smiling Cinder Fall behind them, getting up from her seat and walking away amid the combined cheers and boos from the crowds. In an elegant twilit pavilion area of ivy-covered pillars, rounded archways, and lion-decorated fountains, Hope and Winter are sitting at a simple table Winter is sipping from her teacup as Hope eats some pizza._

"This pizza is so good" Said Hope, while eating a slice. "Sir. Is this your order?" Asked a waitress. "Ah, no, that's not mine" Said Hope. "Is this your order, ma'am?" Asked the waitress. "No" Said Winter, before the waitress pointed at Hope's pizza. "Is that the pizza type you ordered, ma'am?" Asked the waitress. "Yes" Said Winter. "Ma'am, he's eating your pizza. I'll go get you another one" Said the waitress, before she left, angerly. "Well done. I'm now hungrier than if you just let me have the pizza" Said Winter. "Just take a slice, it's a whole pizza. Besides. Why'd you take me out here? Why not Weiss?" Asked Hope. "Because. Your belt and rings. I don't understand them" Said Winter. "You don't understand them? It's easy to understand. They are made from my Mana, a form of Aura, if you will, that, unlike Aura, can only be drained by use. It can run out, and will come back in time, but it could leave me very weak" Said Hope. "And, what of the diamond ring? Infinity, I believe you called it" Said Winter. "What do you mean?" Asked Hope. "It said error when you used it" Said Winter. "Yeah, it did. I guess I didn't have enough Mana at the time" Said Hope. "Let me tell you something. Schnees are unique. Unlike many, our Semblance is hereditary. But that doesn't mean it will come easily" Said Winter, as she lifts her hand to summon a small, elaborate glyph over her palm. "Semblance, and probably Mana, is like a muscle. The more you practice with it, the stronger it will become. But if you only focus on one aspect of it" Said Winter, as the glyph expands suddenly in a bright flash, causing Hope to turn away before looking back up in awe at the white-and-blue Beowolf now at Winter's side. "If you fail to test the limits of what you think is possible, then you'll never truly grow" Said Winter.

 _Hope smiles at this display of power, before cutting to..._

"You'll never beat me, old man!" Declared Ruby, as red action lines appear behind her with oriental battle music playing. "You're nothing but talk, kid!" Declared Qrow, with similar blue lines behind him. "You can do it, Ruby!" Declared Yang, calling out her support as purple lines follow her.

 _Then the entire scene is revealed to be in team RWBY's dorm room at Beacon Academy, and the screen of the video game Ruby and Qrow are playing is shown just as one of the pixelated men decapitates the other, with the announcer saying "COUNT SALTY WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!" Qrow grins at his victory as Ruby lowers her head in shame._

"Ouch" Said Yang. "And by the way, don't ever call me old" Said Qrow, as Yang pushed her sibling out of her spot as she grabs the spinning controller from the air. "My turn" Said Yang. "Now, where was I?" Asked Qrow. "You were telling us about your last mission" Said Ruby, back behind the two players. "Right, right..." Said Qrow, as it flashes back to his story as the art style changes to reflect the dark setting and eerie neighborhood the blade-wielding warrior is walking through. "I'd come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right" Said Qrow. "What were you doing there?" Asked Ruby. "I needed information. Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs, even a few Huntsmen that I could only assume had been hired by less-than reputable people for less-than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened" Said Qrow, as past Qrow looks at something in the shady inn, wide-eyed at what he sees. "What happened?" Asked Yang, as Qrow kneels in his flashback under a spotlight. "I was defeated... by the mere sight..." Said Qrow, as he suddenly grins at what he saw is revealed. "Of the innkeeper's skirt length" Said Qrow.

 _The vision of pink hearts, a beautiful maid with slightly-skimpy clothing, and the very happy Qrow is interrupted by a thrown dog-head pillow, which Qrow deftly catches much to Yang's ire (not helped by the game announcer calling out once more "COUNT SALTY WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!")_

"You are the worst!" Declared Yang. "Best two out of three?" Asked Qrow. "So, Uncle Qrow, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?" Asked Ruby. "Nah, me and Oz go way back. We're cool" Said Qrow. "Cool for an old guy" Said Yang. "Not funny" Said Qrow. "So, what are you doing here anyway? I thought Dad said that you would be on a mission, for like... ever" Said Ruby, as Qrow got back into the game at the sound of READY? FIGHT!. "Well, a professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible" Said Qrow. "Yeeeeaaaah, I get that. We're pretty much pros, too" Said Ruby. "Oh, really?" Asked Qrow. "Psch, yeah! Read the news sometime. We totally saved Vale while you were gone. Ah, well, Hope did" Said Yang. "Funny, because I heard Vale suffered a Grimm attack after he almost managed to stop a train" Said Qrow, before he leaned over to rub it in his niece's face as she scowls at the repeated "COUNT SALTY WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!". "But they don't give out medals for almost" Said Qrow. "Is it my turn?" Asked Hope. "Yeah, sure" Said Yang, as she gave over her controller. "They do, and it's called silver!" Said Ruby "Well, we helped take down Roman Torchwick! He's locked up in Ironwood's ship and crime's been down ever since! That's basically a bounty mission" Said Yang. "Sure, you may be acting like Huntresses, but you're not thinking like one. You really think four girls, some guy and their friends could end all crime in a Kingdom?" Asked Qrow, as the game announcer calling out "TADDLE SWORDSMAN WINS! CRITICAL FINISH!" "Well, I do" Said Hope. "Wow, you beat Qrow. Teach me your ways" Said Ruby. "Oh, easy. Spam ice moves" Said Hope. "Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed; it's stopped, completely. No White Fang activity around the city. You cut off the head of the King Taijitu, but now the second head 's calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his" Said Qrow. "You... know the General?" Asked Yang. "Hey, I know everybody to some extent. Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team that graduated Beacon" Said Qrow, as he reaches behind him into one of his pockets and pulls out a photo lined with stains and age of four figures - himself, Raven Branwen, Taiyang Xiao Long, and Summer Rose - as Yang's eyes widen and he sighs in remembrance. "Hah, Team STRQ... That's where I met your parents. We were pretty well known back in the day" Said Qrow. "Well known for crummy fashion sense" Said Hope. "Yeah, jeez, team STRQ? More like team STRQ reminder of the stupid" Said Hope. "Hey, we looked good! And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up. But, I'll save those for when you're older" Said Qrow. "Oh, gross" Said Ruby, as Qrow gets up and walks out. "Anyways, I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids. You're gonna cramp my style" Said Qrow, as he pauses in the doorway and sighs before addressing his family and Hope. Ruby and Yang looking up to him and Zwei sleeping on Blake's bed. "Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go. And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You two, you're gonna go far. But only if you keep learning; if you never stop moving forward" Said Qrow.

 _With these immortal words of wisdom, Qrow exits down the hall._

"Onaji jidai ni ima de aeta nakama tachi yo warera omou yueni warera ari" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Ruby. "To all the friends I made this year, we think therefore we are. And he was right, you know? No matter what, keep moving forward. Keep building friendship, even if it's with someone you shouldn't. You can always change a shouldn't be into a always will be" Said Hope. "Oh, by the way, you're back early. Why?" Asked Yang. "What? Want me to spend all my time with Winter? Weiss's sister? No. Winter was leaving today, so I thought I'd let them spend time together" Said Hope. "How nice" Said Yang. "Yeah... Especially after I ate her pizza... how can you make diet pizza..." Said Hope.

 _Later at night, Weiss is in the school courtyard, waving goodbye at the airship carrying her sister. She stops just as her Scroll starts vibrating with an incoming call from "FATHER", and her finger hovers over the screen in uncertainty until she closes her eyes and forces herself to press it. Suddenly smiling at the sight, she puts it away and walks back inside as the scene fades to black and the credits roll._


	31. Vol 3: Never Miss A Beat

_After the Volume 3 Opening, the first scene is that of Amity Colosseum's mountain biome being bombarded by several explosions all around the area. Russel Thrush, daggers in hand, is running from the mayhem before spinning around, ready to face his opponents, who turns out to be the familiar face of Penny Polendina and her beret-wearing teammate. With an ever-present smile and simple arm movements, she summons six floating swords from behind her and rears them back before launching them in a ring at Russel, who barely manages to duck behind a rock to protect himself. Wasting no time, Penny does the same thing with another group of blades, homing in on the other CRDL teammate Sky Lark until he uses his own halberd to vault over another stone for defense. The two exchange a worried look at the sight of their rocks still pierced with multiple blades, and Penny grins in combat-ready fierceness as she looks to her partner, who simply taps her watch as if hurrying Penny up. Wasting no time, Penny raises her hands like a puppetmaster and uses the near-invisible strings attached to each hilt to lift the giant rocks up in the air, with the screaming Russel and Sky still hanging on. Bringing her arms down to her sides, the stones come crashing to the ground as well, leaving Penny's opponents in the grass. Her swords come back to her pack as the buzzer rings._

"And victory goes to Penny and Ciel of Atlas!" Declared Oobleck, as Penny placed a fist in her palm and bowing in respect to her fallen foes, still smiling. "Thank you for a wonderful time" Said Penny.

 _The two victors turn to leave the stadium as Russel feebly reaches out, only to get hit in the head by an errant stone. Watching from the stands, Hope sees them start to walk away and gets up form his seat with the rest of his team to meet them at one of the exits._

"Penny" Said Hope, as Penny lifted up her own arms, Hope tackles his friend into a hug that leaves them both of them on the ground. "Ow..." Said Hope, before he stood up, and helped Penny up, who got up energetically and gestures to the other girl. "Ruby, this is my teammate" Said Penny. "Ciel Soleil" Said Ciel. "Hi! I'm..." Said Hope. "Hope. 16. Hails from Arears. Leader of Team HRWBY" Said Ciel. "... I'm never doing anything for Ozpin again. Sooo... Penny! You two were incredible out there. How do you keep control of all those swords?" Asked Hope. "Penny? I believe it is best if we move on to our next location" Said Ciel. "Could we have just a minute to talk?" Asked Penny. "In fact, give us two. Or five. Or, how about, I take care of Penny?" Asked Hope. "But..." Said Ciel. "Hope can take care of me just as good as you can, Ciel" Said Penny. "And if anything happens to Penny, I'll take full blame" Said Hope.

 _In response, Ciel checks the time, then takes a step back and nods, walking away._

"So she's you handler?" Asked Hope. "She's like Blake, but if Blake was ordered to spend time with you" Said Penny. "So, she's... just Blake, really" Said Hope. "Precisely" Said Penny. "Does she know your a android?" Asked Hope. "Oh no. General Ironwood doesn't really want anyone to know. There was an incident with a magnet, but I was able to play it off" Said Penny.

 _Flashback to the Vytal Festival grounds with Ciel and Penny, who's wearing a large sun hat. The wind picks up and lifts the hat from her hair, revealing the aforementioned magnet on her skull, and Penny quickly shoves the headgear back on before Ciel turns back around. The story causes Hope and Penny to laugh about it in the present for several seconds._

"Hope, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. I want to stay at Beacon" Said Penny. "... Penny, I'd love that" Said Hope. "Really? But, I'm going to need to ask Ironwood" Said Penny. "No. I can help you with it. Now, I'm about to have my match with Yang and another school. I'll take you to Ruby, Weiss and Blake, and then I'll have my match" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Penny. "Our next match will begin in 15 minutes!" Declared Port, over the speakers. "That's the time limit" Said Hope.

 _A few minutes later_

"Well, now it's our turn" Said Yang, as she started stretching. "Yeah. Now. What do you think we will face? I'm thinking... two fanus... both dudes... lovers and they both have a gun" Said Hope. "I think we can expect powerful fighters with advanced technology and carefully rehearsed strategies" Said Yang.

 _At that very moment, a rainbow zooms past the two surprised brave and powerful people, coming to a stop opposite them, revealing a pigtailed Faunus girl with roller blades and a cat tail swishing around her weapon next to a young man wearing a fedora and sunglasses, holding a trumpet in one hand._

"Or that" Said Hope. "Who are you?" Asked Flynt. "My name is Hope" Said Hope. "Oh yeah? Didn't you save Vale by yourself? You must be the Miracle Boy" Said Flynt. "Don't call me that" Said Hope. "Oh, I'm sorry, Miracle Boy" Said Flynt. "Hey! Why don't you" Said Yang. "Hey! Why don't you? That's what you sound like" Said Neon. "Uh..." Said Yang. "Hey! Where'd you get your hair extensions?" Asked Neon. "This is just my normal hair" Said Yang. "Yeah, her hair is all natural" Said Hope. "Ooh, really? And who are you, her boyfriend?" Asked Neon. "Ah... it's more on her then me. I mean, if she wants to date me, I'm fine with it..." Said Hope, shyly. "Ah, we'll talk later" Said Yang. "You should try rollerblading sometime! It's super easy to. It'd probably take you a while, though, since you're so... you know, top-heavy" Said Neon. "Top hevey? What? Yang, what does she mean?" Asked Hope, as Yang looks down at herself as the holographic roulette begins. "Excuse me!?" Asked Yang, as Ruby rolled her eyes from the stands. "Oh, here we go" Said Ruby.

 _The field opens around the four combatants, and up rises the volcanic area, sandy desert, steaming geysers, and ruined buildings._

"Three! Two! One! Begin!" Declared Port. "I'll take Fasty McQuickSpeed, you take Coal" Said Yang. "Aw, I wanted Speedy McZoomFlash" Said Hope. "Oh, well... yeah, you take F1 McZoomZoom" Said Yang. "My name is Neon!" Shouted Neon. "Hush, Quick McPigtail" Said Hope.

 _Hope ran towards Neon, before kicking her back. Flynt then tried to blast Hope with a sound wave from his trumpet, but he was knocked by by one of Yang's blasts._

"Alright. Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of any age. Watch my henshin" Said Hope. Hope then used the Driver On Ring, and scanned it, summoning the WizarDriver. Hope then put on the Flame Dragon Ring. "Hum... no" Said Hope, before the WizarDriver disappeared. "... Hope? We practiced with that" Said Yang. "Yeah. And that's utterly sad. We don't need practice" Said Hope, before he put on the Gamer Driver. "And well, I found all this a few days ago" Said Hope, as he held up the Mighty Action X Rider Gashet. "And they interest me more" Said Hope, as he pushed the button. "Mighty Action X!" Declared the Rider Gashet, before crates appeared around the battle arena. "Wow! Hope is changing the landscape of the very battle by adding all those Crates into the mix" Said Oobleck.

 _Hope then inserted the Gashet into the Gamer Driver, and then pushed the lever of the Gamer Driver._

"Metcha Game! Mucha Game! What's your name!? Mighty jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty-Mighty Action X!" Declared the Gamer Driver, as Hope transformed into Kamen Rider Ex-Aid LV1, then Ex-Aid LV2. "I'll clear this without a continue" Said Hope, as the crowd cheered Hope's Transformation. "Yuck. Too colourful" Said Neon. "You'd like Proto" Said Hope.

 _Hope and Yang then ran towards Flynt and Neon, with Hope taking Flynt into the volcanic section, and Yang taking Neon into the desert section. Hope started punching Flynt, knocking him all the way to the edge of the arena._

"Aw, man. I didn't want to use this to early" Said Flynt, before he copied himself four times, and they all started shooting sound waves at Hope, witch knocked him back into the Geyser Section

 _Meanwhile, Yang was dodging Neon's nunchuck attacks, and hitting Neon in return. Eventually, Yang knocked Neon over with a simple push._

"How are you beating me!?" Asked Neon. "Well, it's not the easiest thing for wheels to move in sand like this" Said Yang. "What?" Asked Neon. "This is sand. The one surface small, plastic, wheels can't get traction on" Said Yang, before she picked up Neon and threw her into the centre, where Flynt had moved to. "Neon!? Oh boy. We should use our practiced ultimate move!" Declared Flynt. "What? Anyway" Said Hope, as he held up the Shakariki Sports Gashet, witch he put into the second slot on the Gamer Driver. "Gachan! Level up! Mighty Jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty Action X! A Gacha! Shakariki, Shakariki, BAD! BAD! Shakatto, Rikitto, Shakariki Sports!" Declared the Gamer Driver, as Hope transformed into Kamen Rider Ex-Aid LV3.

 _Flynt then jumped on Neon's shoulders, before Neon started spinning around, making a twister, while Flynt started shooting sound waves at Yang and Hope. Yang and Hope then started climbing the creates that Hope had made earlier. Yang and Hope then reached the top, and, using a combination of Shakariki Critical Strike and two blasts from Ember Celia, knocked Flynt and Neons auras down to zero._

"Your winners are Hope and Yang Xiao Long!" Declared Oobleck.

 _Later on that evening in a certain Beacon dorm room, Cinder Fall is sitting on her bed looking through files on her Scroll. Emerald Sustrai is lying on the floor also playing with her own device, and Mercury Black is doing push-ups beside her._

"Oh" Said Cinder. "What?" Asked Emerald, as Cinder access a document regarding the blueprints of "P.E.N.N.Y." "Oh nothing. We're just going to be making a slight, hmm... alternation in the plan" Said Cinder. "What does that mean?" Asked Emerald, as Cinder continued to look at the familiar image of a robotic redhead. "It means that this will be even easier than we thought" Said Cinder.

 _Within the headmaster's office at twilight, Professor Ozpin is facing the window, his back to the elevators when the doors open and Qrow Branwen steps inside, approaching his desk with coffee mug in hand._

"You know, he's making you look like a fool" Said Qrow. "His heart is in the right place. He's just... misguided" Said Ozpin. "Sometimes, I'm not even sure he has a heart. So, have you chosen your guardian yet?" Said Qrow. "Maidens choose themselves. I simply believe I've found the right candidate. Ever since the day I met her, I had the feeling she would be the one. She's strong, intelligent, caring... but most importantly, she's ready" Said Ozpin.

 _As he lists these qualities off, Pyrrha Nikos is seen entering the elevator of the Cross Continental Transmit System tower. She turns just when the doors close on her ominous smile, and the scene cuts to black as the credits roll._


	32. Vol 3: Rising

_After the opening, the scene opens on the headmaster's office of Professor Ozpin, who is seated behind his desk across from Pyrrha Nikos, as the last rays of twilight come through the clock-decorated windows._

"Well, it comes as no surprise that they've chosen you to move on to the final round of the tournament. Your performance was exemplary" Said Ozpin. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin, but I would have never made it this far without my teammates" Said Pyrrha. "Personally, I think it's the other way around" Said Qrow, as he leaned on a pillar. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've been introduced" Said Pyrrha, as she put out her arm. "Name's Qrow" Said Qrow, before Pyrrha retracted her arm. "Qrow is a trusted colleague of mine" Said Ozpin. "Professor, if you don't mind me asking, why have you called me here?" Asked Pyrrha. "Please, take a seat" Said Ozpin, and when she does so, he puts his fingers up to his lips, leaning back casually. "What is your favorite fairy tale?" Asked Ozpin. "Well, there's The Tale of The Two Brothers, The Shallow Sea, The Girl in the Tower..." Said Pyrrha. "What about The Story of the Seasons?" Asked Ozpin. "Well, of course!" Declared Pyrrha, as she looks away in remembrance, narrating the story as the art style changes to show the colored silhouettes of four young women coming across a house on a hill with a single figure in the doorway. "A callous old man, who refuses to leave his home, is visited by four traveling sisters" Said Pyrrha, as each of the four performs a different action, with the white one sitting down, the green bringing a basket of fruits, the orange calling their host out of the building, and the purple gesturing to what's around them. "The first understands his reclusive nature and urges him to use his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him. And the fourth and final sister begs him to look at all that he has, and be thankful" Said Pyrrha, as a golden light emanates from the old man until it surrounds the four girls, who go on their way with the glow still around them. "In return for their kindness, the man grants the maidens incredible powers, so that they may continue to help others all over the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with the people of Remnant 'til the end of days" Said Pyrrha, as the scene comes back to the office as she lists the four off. "Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the four maidens. My mother loves that story" Said Pyrrha. "Would you believe me if I told you that one's been around since I was a boy?" Asked Ozpin. "You're not that old, Professor" Said Pyrrha. "Well, would you believe me if I told you it was true?" Asked Ozpin. "I beg your pardon?" Asked Pyrrha. "What if I told you that there were four maidens existing in this world, that could wield such tremendous power, without Dust?" Asked Ozpin. "You mean... like a Semblance?" Asked Pyrrha. "Like magic" Said Ozpin. "I..." Said Pyrrha. "Yeah. First time hearing this, it's pretty crazy" Said Qrow. "You're serious?" Asked Pyrrha. "Do I look like I'm joking?" Asked Ozpin. "...No. Why... why are you telling me this?" Asked Pyrrha. "We are telling you this, Pyrrha Nikos, because we believe you are next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's powers" Said Ozpin. "We?" Asked Pyrrha.

 _At that moment, the elevator doors open, and she sees Glynda Goodwitch and General James Ironwood step out._

"Sorry we're late" Said Ironwood, as he straightened his tie and Glynda fixed her glasses. "Wait, what is this? Who are you?" Asked Pyrrha. "You know who we are. We're still the same teachers and Headmasters you met when you arrived at Beacon" Said Glynda. "But we've got a little part-time job" Said Qrow. "We are the protectors of the world" Said Ironwood. "And we need your help" Said Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha is shocked into silence as everyone in the room looks to her. Cut to Pyrrha, looking nervous, in the elevator with the group of "protectors". She looks at Ozpin and Glynda as if seeing them for the first time while a steady beeping signals each floor passed._

"Where are we going?" Asked Pyrrha. "The vault. Under the school" Said Ozpin.

 _The elevator continues downward through the vertical tunnel of dark green lights until it opens its doors and their passengers step out, with Pyrrha being the last to leave as she absorbs the sight of the large, sparsely-lit hallway she is now being lead through. Glynda waits up for her behind the others._

"I'm sure you must have questions" Said Goodwitch. "Maybe one, or two... I still don't understand. You said I was next in line to receive the Maiden's power. What do you mean by that?" Asked Pyrrha. "The Maidens have existed for thousands of years. But much like in nature, the seasons change. No two summers are alike. When a Maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host, ensuring that the seasons are never lost, and that no individual can hold on to that power forever" Said Glynda. "So, how does the power choose?" Asked Pyrrha. "Through a series of stupid and convoluted rules" Said Qrow. "Qrow" Said Glynda. "Hey, don't get mad 'cause I'm right" Said Qrow. "At first, the only thing that was certain was that the powers were specifically passed on to young women. But as time went on, it was discovered that the selection process was much more... intimate" Said Glynda. "Intimate?" Asked Pyrrha. "As we understand it now, when a Maiden dies, the one who is in her final thoughts is the first candidate to inherit her power" Said Glynda. "Unless it's a dude or some old hag. Then the power goes to someone random, and our job gets a lot harder" Said Qrow. "Why tell me all of this now? Why not wait until I've graduated?" Asked Pyrrha. "Honestly, we've run out of time. I don't know if you've not noticed, but things are getting a lot scarier out in the world. Tensions are high. Grimm are growing stronger, more prevalent. And it's not going to be long before the peace we've been enjoying for so long goes out the window" Said Qrow. "You're not... talking about a war?" Asked Pyrrha. "Not a war between nations." Said Ironwood. "We can fill you on the details once we know that you're with us. For now, all you need to know is that one of the Maidens has been attacked. And for the first time in history, part of her power was stolen" Said Qrow.

 _A humming of electricity is heard as the group comes to their destination at the end of the hallway: A large machine with lit screens hooked up to two rectangular pods, one of which is upright to show through the glass window a young girl dressed in minimal clothing with a burn scar over her left eye and across her face._

"Is that..." Said Pyrrha. "The current Fall Maiden, Amber" Said Ozpin. "She's... still alive" Said Pyrrha. "For now. We're using state of the art Atlas technology to keep her stable. But there is a lot about this situation that is... unprecedented" Said Ironwood. "What do you mean? Won't... her power... just transfer to the next host?" Asked Pyrrha. "Look who's been listening! She is smart" Said Qrow. "Under normal circumstances, yes. But this is a delicate situation. It's not uncommon for the last thoughts of the slain to be of their attacker. And to make matters worse, no one's seen the power split like this before. For all we know, it will seek out its other half" Said Ironwood. "Her assailant" Said Pyrrha. "And that would not bode well for any of us" Said Ironwood.

 _Pyrrha lowers her head in thought, then suddenly comes forward and places a hand on the glass of Amber's pod._

"If all of this is true, why keep it secret!? If this girl is so important... if we're truly on the brink of war, why not tell everyone?" Asked Pyrrha, angerly. "From what we understand, it used to be common knowledge" Said Goodwitch. "Excuse me?" Asked Pyrrha. "How do you think legends and fairy tales get started? Even the craziest ones come from somewhere" Said Qrow, as he took a drink from his flask. "Our group was founded in order to protect both mankind and the Maidens. Those hungry for power hunted them with the hope of inheriting their strength" Said Glynda. "And as you can imagine, the ones that succeeded weren't exactly the ones you'd want to have unimaginable power" Said Qrow, as he took another drink. "And so our brotherhood chose to remove the Maidens from the public eye, allowing their existence to fade away into legend" Said Ironwood. "The things we're telling you go against hundreds of years of human history and religion" Said Glynda. "No one would want to believe us. It would cause an uproar" Said Ozpin. "It would cause panic. And we all know what that would bring to clawing at our Kingdom's walls. Which is why we would like to..." Said Ozpin. "I'll do it. If you believe that this will help humanity... then I will become your Fall Maiden. That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Asked Pyrrha. "It is, but I'm afraid it's not that simple. Given Amber's condition, you won't be able to inherit her power naturally. However, General Ironwood believes he has a solution" Said Ozpin. "For the past few years, Atlas has been studying Aura from a more scientific standpoint; how it works, what's it made of, how it can be used. We've made... significant strides. And we believe we've found a way to capture it" Said Ironwood. "Capture it and cram it into something else. Or in your case..." Said Qrow. "That's..." Said Pyrrha. "Classified, Qrow" Said Ironwood. "Wrong!" Shouted Pyrrha. "The feeling is mutual. But desperate times call for desperate measures" Said Glynda. "And these are indeed desperate times. We can't transfer Amber's power to you, but we can give you what those powers are bound to" Said Ironwood. "... Her Aura" Said Pyrrha. "Her life would become intertwined with yours. The question is..." Said Ozpin. "What's that going to do to you?" Asked Qrow. "You have an important decision before you, Miss Nikos. There's no guarantee this transfer will work. And there's no telling if you will be the same person if it does. I advise you to take time on this matter. But understand that before the Vytal Festival is over, we will need your answer" Said Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha doesn't respond, instead placing her hand on the glass separating the maiden from her potential replacement, seeing her scared expression reflected on the scarred face of the dying girl, before turning away from this expected destiny as Ozpin gives one final warning._

"The assailant that attacked the Fall Maiden has made their first move. And there's no telling when their next move will be" Said Ozpin.

 _As everyone is leaving the room, a figure moves towards the pod containing Amber, and opens it The scene cuts to a smirking Cinder Fall as she sits in one of the Amity Colosseum's seats along with the rest of the cheering crowd, their screams being drowned out by the announcements._

"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for! The one-on-one finals!" Declared Port.

 _In the center of the battlefield's stage, Hope waves as the camera pans down the line of final fighters, a few new faces mixed in with Sun Wukong, Penny Polendina, Mercury Black, and the troubled Pyrrha at the other end of the line._

"Barty, why don't you explain the rules?" Asked Port. "Ah, it's quite simple, Peter. Instead of a bracket system, each round of the finals will be randomly determined immediately before the match takes place!" Declared Oobleck. "Much like any good hunt, there will be zero time to prepare!" Declared Port. "Ah, yes, yes! Now, let's see who our first match will be!" Declared Oobleck.

 _The energetic doctor points out to the screens above the stadium as the roulette starts spinning, this time for competitors instead of biomes. The "random selection" is watched by the owner of the Crow Bar, a group of Human and Faunus kids, the visitors and workers at the Cross Continental Transmit System, before it gets back from the worldwide audience glimpses to reveal the first showdown._

"Hope and Mercury Black!" Declared Port, as Ruby cupped her hands to make sure her encouragement is heard from her spot alongside RWBY, JNPR, and SSSN. "Break a leg, Hope!" Declared Ruby. "Would all other combatants please leave the stage!" Declared Port.

 _The rest of the lineup does so, and Hope starts walking up to Mercury in the middle as the floor around them opens once more, with a ring of spotlights rising up to automatically fix their lights on the remaining two._

"I hope you enjoy second place. Because that's all you'll be. Second place, all in ten seconds" Said Hope, as he put on the Faiz Belt. "You wish" Said Murcury, as Hope put the Faiz Phone in the Faiz Belt, turning into Kamen Rider Faiz.

 _Both brawlers face the crowds one last time_

"Three! Two! One! Begin!" Declared Port.

 _Murcury immediately began shooting Hope with his foot guns, pushing Hope back slightly everytime. Eventually, Murcury managed to knock Hope all the way to the edge and attempt to kick him out of the arena, but Hope took the Faiz Phone, converted it to gun mode and entered 106, converting it into burst mode. Hope then fired once at Murcury, knocking him down. Hope the put the phone back in the belt, and started combo punching Murcury, before doing a roundhouse kick, then a jumping knee. Hope then tried to follow that up with a side kick, but Murcury blocked with his left leg._

"It's been ten seconds. I guess you're not as tough as you thought" Said Murcury. "It has. I never said witch ten seconds though" Said Hope, as he pushed Murcury back.

 _Hope then kicked Murcury in the stomach, knocking him halfway across the stage. Hope put on the Faiz Axel and quickly transformed into Kamen Rider Faiz Axel. Hope then put the Faiz Pointer on his left leg. Hope then started running towards Murcury, before he disappeared. Murcury then started looking around._

"Well, I wonder where Hope is!" Declared Port.

 _Suddenly, ten red cones appeared around Murcury, pointed at him. The cones then flew into Murcury._

"And your winner, with a amazing display of power, Hope, via depletion!" Declared Port, as the platform went back down to the ground. "Told you all I needed was ten seconds" Said Hope, as he canceled his transformation. "And all I need is one kick" Said Murcury, as he got up and tried to kick Hope in the back of the head, but Hope disappeared, then reappeared in a seat between Yang and Ruby. "Hello, darling. Did you enjoy?" Asked Hope. "You know I did" Said Yang, as she and Hope kissed. "Ew, that's my sister" Said Ruby. "Yeah. Imagine if I was Sun. This would be far worse" Said Hope. "Because he's my boyfriend" Said Blake. "And because he doesn't cover up as much" Said Hope. "Speaking of Sun" Said Yang, as the random selection device choses Sun and a girl with purple eyes and hair. "Sun Wukong VS Grape Mou!" Declared Port.


	33. Vol 3: Falling

_As the opening ended, it opens on Sun Wukong and Grape Mou, standing across from each other, with Sun holding Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, in its staff mode, while Grape stands in front of him, in a karate like pose._

"Three! Two! One! Begin!" Declared Port.

 _Sun immediately tries hitting Grape with Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, but Grape grabs the part of Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang that was gonna hit her, and pulled on it, causing Sun to stumble forward, so Grape could punch him, knocking him down. Grape then tried punching Sun while he was on the ground, but Sun dodged it, and picked up Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang._

"Wow!" Shouted Ruby. "She's so strong" Said Yang, in awe. "Not really. She's just using M.A.C.T. Bracelets" Said Hope, as his team looked at him. "What are those?" Asked Yang. "Hum?" Asked Hope. "What are M.A.C.T. Bracelets?" Asked Yang, as Sun got punched halfway across the platform he and Grape were fighting on. "Mass Anomaly Concentrate Technology Bracelets. They cancel out the mass of whatever you grab, while simultaneously increasing the mass of your hands via impact displacement. I talk to people" Said Hope.

 _Grape picked up Sun with one hand, and carried him to the edge of the platform. Grape then tried to throw him over the edge, but Sun transformed Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang into its shotgun mode, and started shooting at Grape, stunning her. Sun then transformed Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang into there nunchuck mode, and started hitting Grape repeatedly, witch Grape blocked with her arms._

"Well, Sun's gonna lose" Said Hope. "Why?" Asked Blake. "Remember what I said? About impact displacement? That wasn't a full body thing. Just on her arms. Above where the M.A.C.T.s are. That's where it's absorbed to. Sun's just charging her up" Said Hope.

 _Sun continued to hit Grape in her arms, until Grape suddenly punches Sun in the stomach, stunning Sun. Grape then started a combo of punches to Sun, ending with a uppercut, knocking Sun into the sky._

"Hum... is this a knock out?" Asked Oobleck. "Yeah! I won!" Declared Grape, raising her arms into the air.

 _Suddenly, Sun, with Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in shotgun mode, started firing down at Grape, doing serious damage to her. Sun then changed Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang into staff mode, and summoned two clones of himself. All three Suns then grabbed onto Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, before pushing Grape towards the edge of the platform. All three Suns then kicked Grape, knocking her off the platform._

"And your winner, Sun Wukong!" Declared Port, as the platform floated back down to the ground. Grape then stood up, as Sun waved to the crowd. Suddenly, Grape ran towards Sun and attempted to punch Sun in the face, but Hope appeared in front of her and tripped her. "Grimm! How did Grimm get in here!?" Shouted Grape, before she got up and punched Hope in the face, knocking him across the arena. "Stop the cameras!" Shouted Oobleck. "No. Leave them on. Action Field, Samurai Stronghold, activate" Said Hope, as the arena changed to an mountain, with a stronghold at the top. "Now. I shall use 5 copies of Hippo Carnival, summoning 15 Hippo Tokens" Said Hope, as 15 humanoid hippo dancers appeared, calming down some crying children. "How could so many Grimm get in our walls!?" Shouted Grape, before she attempted to punch Hope, but a Hippo Token got in the way, exploding into fireworks and confetti on impact.

 _The crowd then started cheering for Hope, and Hope put on the Meteor Driver, and quickly transformed into Kamen Rider Meteor, using the transformation to damage Grape. Hope then began punching Grape, as they fought up the mountain, witch ending with Hope being thrown through the front door of the stronghold. Hope then stood up, and inserted the Meteor Switch into the Meteor Galaxy._

"Limit Break!" Declared the Meteor Galaxy.

 _Hope's left arm gained a blue aura, as all the Hippo Tokens exploded one by one, releasing fireworks and confetti. Hope then hit Grape with many left handed jabs, taking her across the Samurai Stronghold, with the last jab hitting her into the sky, knocking her out when she landed. AK-200s then took her out of the arena._

"That was... interesting" Said Hope, as everyone in the arena cheered him. "Well, ah. We will be taking a short break" Said Oobleck.


	34. Vol 3: Destiny

_After the opening, the scene opens on inside the HRWBY dorm room, where Ruby is closing the door, with Hope and Yang on one bed, with Weiss and Blake on another. Ruby then forced herself between Yang and Hope._

"This is a mess..." Said Weiss. "Yeah. What if it happens again? To Pyrrha..." Said Ruby. "Come on. She was affected by something. She kept shouting about there being Grimm in the arena. Maybe she was being influenced by someone in the arena" Said Hope. "What do you mean?" Asked Blake. "I think, someone may not be being a fair sport" Said Hope. "Great..." Said Yang. "Na, don't worry Yang. We just need to wait" Said Hope, as he stood up. "Where are you going?" Asked Yang. "Come with me. I want some candy floss. And then I want to do fun things afterwards" Said Hope, before Ruby hid her head. "Why can't everyone come?" Asked Yang. "Because. You're the invincible Yang Xiao Long. And well, I kinda meant spar, and not fun things. You can't get hurt, and I don't get hurt fast, so, we're perfect sparners" Said Hope. "You didn't" Said Yang. "Oh, I did" Said Hope, before he and Yang kissed, and then disappeared. "Ew" Said Ruby. "They are cute together" Said Blake. "Agreed" Said Weiss.

 _Weiss, Blake and Ruby exit there dorm, to see Pyrrha in her dorm, alone._

"Pyrrha?" Asked Ruby. "Hm?" Asked Pyrrha. "You be sure to win one for Beacon, okay?" Asked Ruby. "I'll... do my best" Said Pyrrha. "I'll be sure to watch tonight in case you're picked!" Declared Ruby.

 _Pyrrha's smile dips down into worry as she looks away. Meanwhile, in Beacon's own arena, Yang shoots at Hope, who is absorbing her shots._

"How are you doing that?" Asked Yang. "Aw. Yang isn't good enough for me..." Said Hope, as he tackled Yang to the ground. "... still love you though" Said Hope, as he kissed her nose. "Good. Because I'd punch you in your groin" Said Yang. "Now, I'm thinking..." Said Hope, as he put his head on her chest. "... that we need to cheer up the crowd. Now, we could fight, but I think I have a better idea. They need entertainment. So, let's give them an action duel" Said Hope, as Yang wrapped her hands around Hope. "Perfect idea" Said Yang. "Ok... OH! Even better idea. An Action Riding Duel! Same idea as before, but we ride on motercycles!" Declared Hope, as he stood up. "Is that safe?" Asked Yang, as Hope helped her up. "Well... just don't beat your opponent very violently. Then it'll minimise the breaking speed" Said Hope. "Ok. So there's one flaw" Said Yang. "Yeah, but come on. What's the worst that can happen?" Asked Hope. "... I could crash" Said Yang. "... Jeez, Yang. Be more self confident. Besides, it has an auto control. It's practically impossible to crash. I wouldn't have even asked you to do this is there was any real danger for you to be in. Of course, you could steer manually, but then you'd have to multitask, and nobody is good at multitasking. Scientific fact, no one can multitask..." Said Hope. "Shut up" Said Yang, as they kissed.

 _A few minutes later, Hope and Yang, both on duel runners, are in the Amity Colosseum, at a starting line, and a road made of light leading out of the Colosseum, and a titantron showing Hope and Yang._

"Ok, everyone! This is a Action Duel between me and my girlfriend, Yang Xiao Long! Our goal is to entertain! Here we go. Yang, you can go first" Said Hope. "Ok!" Declared Yang, as she and Hope started driving. "Duel!" Declared Hope and Yang.

Turn 1: Yang

Yang draws. Yang summons "Summoner Monk" (800/ 1600) in defence mode due to it's effect. Yang sets one card and ends her turn.

Turn 2: Hope

Hope draws. Hope finds and picks up an Action Card. Hope activates "Double Summon", allowing him to normal summon twice during this turn. Hope normal summons two copies of "Font Dummy" (0/ 0). Hope activities the effects of both "Font Dummy", changing both there levels to 2. Hope overlays both "Font Dummy" to XYZ Summon "Font Goat" (1000/ 1500) in defence mode. Hope activates the field spell "Font Snow Village". The first effect of "Font Snow Village" activates, forcing Yang's face down card to activate, witch was "Obey Conversion". Hope sets two cards facedown and ends his turn.

Turn 3: Yang

Yang draws. Yang activates "Septic Conversion", discarding "Guardian Eatos" to special summon "Septic Eatos" (3000/ 2500) in attack mode. The second effect of "Font Snow Village" activates, allowing Hope to special summon a monster from his deck with a level lower then "Septic Eatos". Hope special summons "Flare Resonator" (300/ 1300) in defence mode. "Septic Eatos" attacks "Font Goat". During Yang's end phase, Hope activates "Font DETERMINATION", special summoning "Font Goat" to his side of the field in defence mode. Yang ends her turn.

Turn 4: Hope

Hope draws. Hope activates the second effect of "Font DETERMINATION", paying 300 life points up to three times to special summon a "Font" XYZ monster. Hope pays once (Hope LP: 3700) to summon "Font D.D. Knight" (2400/ 2000) in attack mode. "Font DETERMINATION" is now banished due to its effect. Hope sends "Flare Resonator", "Font Goat" and "Font D.D. Knight" to the graveyard to special summon "Font Bio-Mech Lord" (3500/ 3000) from his extra deck. The final effect of "Font Snow Village" activates, destroying itself and placing "Font End" in its place. Hope activates the second effect of "Font End", special summoning "Flare Resonator", "Font Goat" and "Font D.D. Knight" from his graveyard, all in his defence mode. Hope summons another copy of "Font Dummy" (0/ 0). Hope activates its effect, changing its level to 2. Hope tunes "Flare Resonator", "Font Goat", "Font D.D. Knight" and "Font Dummy" to synchro summon "Font Dreamer" (4500/ 4000). "Font Bio- Mech Lord" attacks "Septic Eatos", but "Obey Conversion" activates, with Yang choosing to destroy "Font Bio- Mech Lord" and special summon "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" (3000/ 2500) in attack mode. The second effect of "Septic Eyes Boss Dragon" activates, making Hope lose 1000 life points for every "Septic" monster Yang controls, but Hope activates the Action Card "Acceleration", making the damage 0. Since "Font Bio- Mech Lord", was destroyed, Hope special summons another copy from his extra deck. "Font Bio- Mech Lord" attacks "Septic Eatos", but "Obey Conversion" activates, with Yang choosing to destroy "Font Bio- Mech Lord" and special summon "Septic Dust Dragon" (2500/ 2000). Since "Font Bio- Mech Lord", was destroyed, Hope special summons another copy from his extra deck. "Font Bio- Mech Lord" attacks "Septic Eatos", but "Obey Conversion" activates, with Yang choosing to destroy "Font Bio- Mech Lord" and special summon another "Septic Eatos". Since "Font Bio- Mech Lord", was destroyed, Hope special summons a copy from his graveyard. "Font Dreamer" attacks, with its first attack allowing it to attack all monster Yang controls (Yang LP: 0). Hope wins.

 _In the twilight, after the Action Duel, Pyrrha sits alone outside the dining hall, head bowed as the wind rises. She sees the air blow a single orange leaf onto the cobblestones at her feet, and she looks at the fall colors with a face of total fright, remembering the sight of Amber in her comatose state and the choice weighing her down._

"Hey" Said Hope, as Pyrrha turns her head up to see her smiling friend with a large cone of cotton candy, and wearing a black hoodie instead of his trenchcoat. "I think this might do some good" Said Hope, as Pyrrha stares at the offered treat while she comes back to the real world before hesitantly taking it. "Um, right. Thank you, Hope" Said Pyrrha.

 _Hope's beam fades as he sees her still-tormented face, and looks to the far end of the building as Nora and Yang come around, the latter carrying a cotton candy, a tub of popcorn, and a drink to sip on._

"Uh... come on, Nora. Let's go back to the fairgrounds. I'll win you another stuffed animal" Said Yang, as she drags her away from Jaune and Pyrrha's private scene. "Pyrrha. Is something on your mind?" Asked Hope. "Oh, it's..." Said Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, please. I just want to help" Said Hope. "You're already doing it" Said Pyrrha.

 _Jaune quickly matches Pyrrha's smile with his own, and the two stay there for a long moment, but as an additional autumn leaf joins the first, Pyrrha's expression darkens once more._

"Hope?" Asked Pyrrha. "Yes?" Asked Hope, as Pyrrha suddenly takes her hand out from his, looking away. "I don't know what to do" Said Pyrrha. "What do you mean?" Asked Hope. "Do you believe in destiny?" Asked Pyrrha, causing Hope to laugh. "I guess you don't believe in destiny" Said Pyrrha. "Absolutely not! There's no such thing as destiny. It's what people who have no way out of an event say that it is. They never choose an third option" Said Hope. "So, you believe that destiny is a lie?" Asked Pyrrha. "No. I believe that destiny is a word that cowards use to hide from a changeable future. They say the most evil words end with est. I say, they end with iny. But, why do you ask?" Asked Hope. "Well... what would you do if something came along that you... never expected? Something that had the potential to stand between you and your destiny?" Asked Pyrrha. "Like what?" Asked Hope "Or what if you could suddenly fulfill your destiny in an instant, but at the cost of who you were?" Asked Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, this isn't making any sense..." Said Hope, as he attempted to comfort Pyrrha, but Pyrrha stood up away from his touch, holding herself as if on the verge of tears. "None of it makes sense! This isn't how things were supposed to happen!" Shouted Pyrrha, as Hope got up. "Pyrrha, I just don't understand. Please, tell me what this destiny is..." Said Hope. "I've always felt as though I was destined to become a Huntress - to protect the world and it's become increasingly clear to me that my feelings were right. But don't know if I can do it" Said Pyrrha. "No. I'm not talking about that destiny. Pyrrha, you are the best warrior I know. And that's saying something. I trained alongside someone for one thousand years. I don't care if you think you are just an amateur or some sort of godly warrior, but I find you to be the best in all of the dimensions. Now, tell me. What is this destiny?" Asked Hope.

 _Despite Hope's intentions, this doesn't bring relief. Instead, Pyrrha looks absolutely shattered, covering her mouth as she begins to sob._

"Pyrrha?" Asked Hope. "Stop..." Said Pyrrha. "I-i just want to know" Said Hope. "I can't tell you, ok? Ironwood made me swear not to tell anyone..." Said Pyrrha. "Ironwood!? He's putting you through this! Tell me what he's going to do!" Shouted Hope, scarring Pyrrha. "He's... he's going to transfer someone's aura into mine. With Ozpin, Qrow and Glynda. But Glynda is against it" Said Pyrrha. "... Ok" Said Hope, before he walked away.

 _At the cliffside docking bays down the main alleyway and under the floating Amity Colosseum, Ruby walks up to the end of the line waiting to get in the transport up to the arena. She turns her head to see Brawnz Ni and Nolan Porfirio talking outside the line, and beyond that, Sun Wukong walking away, Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang over his shoulder, with a familiar rabbit Faunus snapping photos of him. Ruby steps out of line and approaches her from behind as she continues taking pictures with her camera until she notices who's behind her._

"Ruby, how you going?" Asked Velvet. "Hi, Velvet! What're you up to?" Asked Ruby. "Oh, you know. Just working on my photography. Do you wanna see?" Asked Velvet, as she offers her camera to Ruby, looking extremely delighted. Ruby immediately notices that Velvet didn't even get all of Sun in her picture, cutting out his head and feet. "That's... better" Said Ruby. "Hey, is Yang ok? Did she take that loose to Hope well?" Asked Velvet. "Yeah she did. Hope kinda makes Yang more mellow in defeat now that they love each other" Said Ruby. "They are a good couple. I guess it's because there the same person, in a way. Smart, cute and powerful" Said Velvet. "Hey, do you know anything about Grape?" Asked Ruby. "I don't know. Apparently, it was stress induced hallucinations. Most people don't know what it's like on the battlefield. I mean, even experienced fighters can get scared and start seeing things. If it happened to Coco, it can happen to anyone" Said Velvet. "Coco?" Asked Ruby. "Yeah. She swore she saw Yatsu with her in the forest during the fight with Emerald and Mercury, but he never even made it out of the geyser fields. Stress-induced hallucinations" Said Velvet. "Yeah..." Said Ruby, as she turns her head away in thought, only to look back at Velvet after a quick flash startles her, as Velvet lowered the camera from her face, smiling apologetically. "Oh! Sorry" Said Velvet.

 _Back in the Colosseum, people are back in the stands cheering and ready for entertainment as Ruby descends down the steps to an open seat. Despite everything that's happened, she's smiling widely, looking around at the assembled crowds... until her stupefied eyes see a familiar, glaring face on the other side of the arena._

"Emerald's here?" Asked Ruby.

 _As if sensing she's being watched, Emerald leans forward to glare at Ruby, who suddenly gets up with a worried expression and runs towards the exit tunnel. Checking to see if no one's around, she enters a door labeled with a yellow maintenance sign and finds herself inside of the Colosseum. She walks forward with determination as the announcers' voices are heard, muffled behind the brick walls._

"All right, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!" Declared Oobleck.

 _The sound of the roulette is heard faintly, but what makes Ruby stop in her tracks is the sight of another unexpected "friend" stepping out from a nearby tunnel, completely unharmed and definitely not going home._

"Mercury?" Asked Ruby. "It looks like our first contender is... Penny Polendina from Atlas..." Declared Port. "What are you doing?" Asked Ruby. "And her opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!" Declared Port. "No..." Said Ruby. "Ooh, polarity versus metal. That could be bad" Said Murcury.

 _Ruby glares at her new opponent, reaching back to grab Crescent Rose, only to remember she doesn't have it on her. Mercury simply grins maliciously and sets himself up in a fighting pose. Outside, the arena's center is lifting back into the air, and an oblivious Penny is grinning wildly, with her fellow redhead Nora cheering excitedly from the stands, even getting Ren to let out a reluctant "Yaaay..." Meanwhile, Hope arrives at the top floor of Beacon Tower, with Qrow, Ozpin and Ironwood inside._

"Excuse me, but there is a..." Said Ironwood.

 _Suddenly, Hope shot Ironwood in his robotic arm with a harpoon, causing him to fly back and be stuck to the wall. Qrow then tried to hit Hope in the face, but Hope dodged, and elbowed Qrow in the throat, before kicking him in the back of the head._

"Please Hope, this isn't necessary" Said Ozpin. "Then tell me what the hell you plan on doing to Pyrrha!" Shouted Hope. "... No" Said Ozpin.

 _Hope then jumped over Ozpin's desk and kicked him into the window, shattering it. Hope then pushed Ozpin out of the broken window, holding onto his tie._

"Tell me!" Shouted Hope. "Is this a threat?" Asked Ozpin. "No. This is an ultimatum. You tell me, and I won't drop you. Don't, and I'll drop you. Either way, I have the information I need. I've hacked you. I have the information that I need. It's either I read it or you tell me" Said Hope. "Well then. I think i won't tell you" Said Ozpin.

 _Hope then pushed Ozpin out of the broken window._

"Goodbye forever, RWBY Dimension" Said Hope, before he disappeared.


	35. Vol 3: PvP

_Down in the arena of Amity Colosseum, Pyrrha is still looking hesitant and distracted while Penny politely salutes her opponent._

"Sal-u-tations, Pyrrha Nikos! It's an honor to finally meet you!" Declared Penny.

 _The troubled Pyrrha doesn't respond, looking at her hands as she clenches them in attempted determination._

"This is going to be so much fun!" Declared Penny.

 _In the same structure behind closed doors, Ruby Rose is still facing down an up-and-standing Mercury Black, who's smugly smiling at the younger girl's confusion._

"Mercury, what are you doing? You were hurt! Why... What's going on?" Asked Ruby, as Mercury doesn't answer, still grinning with malice. "Fine. If you're not going to tell me..." Said Ruby, as she attempts to move around him, but he blocks her path, then does it again when she sidesteps. "Fighters, are you ready?" Asked Oobleck, over the speakers.

 _Mercury smirks. Penny beams widely in anticipation, but Pyrrha is still looking around as if in a daze, though she manages a small scowl at her opponent, her weapons Miló and Akoúo̱ already in hand._

"3, 2, 1... BEGIN!" Declared Oobleck.

 _Suddenly, Penny is surrounded by her floating swords, gesturing them around to her command before launching a volley of them at Pyrrha, who runs towards them and leaps though or deflects each aimed blade. The swords fly into the air until they turn around and come back to the fight._

"Showtime" Said Murcury.

 _He goes forward, blocking Ruby's path with his arms outstretched, restraining her movements no matter where she moves. Panicked, she grimaces and spins forward, becoming a blur of red and petals rocketing toward Mercury, only for the villain to kick her mid-dash with his boots and knock her to the ground. He advances on her just as she gets our her Scroll, about to push the button to call for help when a bullet shatters the device into several shards._

"Let's just keep this between us friends" Said Murcury, as he slowly walking towards Ruby.

 _Pyrrha, now having returned the shield to her back, twirls the javelin to block each sword swipe of Penny's, dropping her weapon when she needs to somersault away after being hit by a slash, only to magnetically return it to her hand as Penny readies another wave of blades._

"My word! What a tremendous display by Miss Polendina!" Declared Port.

 _Fully glowering, Pyrrha rushes forward and jumps on an incoming sword, swinging down on Penny, only to have the assault halted by a collection of blades, though she leaps away from the retaliatory slice as Penny backs away as well. She tries to defend against the multitude of swords with the length of her weapon, but is forced back regardless, prompting Pyrrha to roll the shield from her back onto her arm with her polarity._

"Whoo, yeah! Goooo Pyrrha!" Declared Nora.

 _Despite the cheers, Pyrrha isn't doing well, looking down to see her Semblance's black energy bend the weapons in her hands unnaturally for a split second. Emerald narrows her gaze further, continuing to concentrate on Pyrrha. Meanwhile, Ruby attempts to block a kick from Mercury with her arms, but gets a face-full of boot. She manages to duck under his next attack and leap over his leg, spiraling past him, this time getting much father down the corridor. She kicks off of the wall and falls to the ground, pumping her arms as she runs for the exit. Meanwhile, Pyrrha spins wildly as she deflects and dodges each sword, until she gets close enough to Penny to deliver a few slashes with the spear, sending her flying back as Pyrrha bats aside the blades called to their wielder's aid. Penny slides to a stop and makes a new series of motions, the weapons folding up until she's circled by several laser rifles, a few of which open fire on the approaching champion. Pyrrha avoids the blasts and fights off the remaining swords with her xiphos until she slides into position to charge at Penny and knock her back. Pyrrha straightens with a victorious grin that disappears into dizziness, just as she sees Penny rocketing forward, weapons firing behind her like a jetpack so she can leap into the air, then come down as an energized meteor on her opponent. Rolling back to her feet, Pyrrha doesn't expect a sword to knock her shield off, then another to do the same for her blade. She tries to get the later back with her magnetism, but has to use the power to send a flying sword back at Penny's side. It disappears behind Penny, only for her to grin and raise her arms as several appear above her, aimed to strike. With Emerald still squinting down on the arena, the sharp sound of Emerald's Semblance is heard as Penny's eight swords double, then triple, multiplying into an unreal thicket of blades. At the sight of this, Pyrrha unsteadily steps back, both in reality where the eight swords are ready to go forth and in the hallucinated world, where the cloud of weapons thicken to even block the crowds around her. Penny sends them all forward, few in reality and hundreds strong in Pyrrha's mind, who is left with no choice but to spread her arms and send out a magnetized shockwave. Each blade is sent reeling back to Penny, who is also unintentionally affected by the Semblance attack. Pyrrha only has a brief moment to understand what's happening before Penny's arms are spread wide as she gasps, the strings attached to her own weapons curling around her left arm and midsection, crumpling them with ease. Suddenly, a lightning bolt cuts throw the strings, leaving Penny with major dents from where the strings where around her body, exposing her android nature, and the swords flying into the forcefield, scaring some of the audience. A person, wielding two sickles, and in gold and black armour, was a few feet away from Penny._

"What just happened!?" Asked Port. "I just saved my friend" Said the person. "What is your name?" Asked Pyrrha. "Well, I've had a lot of those. Some have called me Mister Robot. Some have called me Huntrabane. Baba Yaga, Kaiten, Sironus, I've even been labeled you. Pyrrha Nikos. But..." Said the person, as he removed two devices from his light green belt, as the armour disappeared, revealing themself to be Hope, with black and dark purple hair. "But, you know me as Hope. I was 1, 016 last time we met. I'm now 2, 016, and I've been in grief for all of them. Well, minus 1, 000. Wanna know why? Because of her!" Shouted Hope, as the screens around the Amity Colosseum flickered on.

"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men. Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference. And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither. Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our Kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark. So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?" Asked Cinder.

 _In the Colosseum, the screens cut from red and black to complete static._

"Well, this isn't good" Said Port. "Pre-recorded message. Well, that was less of a reason you suck speech and more of a condescending taunt" Said Hope, as giant Nevermores flew over the arena, and some of Ironwood's airships started firing at the Nevermores.

 _The bridge of the last ship is wrecked, computers sparking and men down as a pair of high boots walk through the destruction. Dressed in an Atlas uniform and holding both a pink umbrella and dark cane with a feathered hat on top, Neopolitan opens the door of a familiar-looking cell with a devious grin._

"Well... it's about time..." Said Roman Torchwick.

 _Cut to outside the Airships, where the furthest craft suddenly turns towards its allies and fires several bright red lasers at the engine of the one closest to it. The aircraft is barely able to send out "We're hit! What's going-" before the flaming ship crashes into another in a series of explosions and sends both of them tumbling toward the waters below._

"Woo-hoohahahaha! Oohh, it is good to be back!" Declared Roman.

 _Finally, at Beacon's cliffside landing platforms, three Bullheads arrive, the middle one opening its hatch to reveal four members of the White Fang, and their leader._

"Bring them to their knees!" Declared Adam.

 _Another Bullhead opens its door, this time with several creatures of Grimm inside. A growling Ursa jumps from it and lands on Academy grounds. The foreboding scene darkens as the Ursa's roar echoes, leaving only the burning red eyes of the monster, until they too disappear and the credits roll._


	36. Vol 3: Battle of Beacon

_After the opening, the scene shows the fairgrounds in chaos as civilians run away from the hordes of Grimm. Atlesian Knight-200s are seen firing at the dark creatures, and a vendor hides behind his booth when a group of Ursai run past. Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee are then shown watching in horror of everything going on around them. Civilians continue to flee as Grimm continue to run amok, and a dead Creep on the ground starts to dissipate._

"I don't believe this..." Said Weiss. "Yang, are you okay?" Asked Blake, on her Scroll.

 _Cut to Yang Xiao Long running in the hallways of the dorms with Zwei._

"I'm fine. Is Ruby with you? She's not answering her Scroll" Said Yang. "No, she isn't. Yang, she's fine. She's with Hope and Pyrrha. And she can take care of herself" Said Blake.

 _Yang closes her eyes and curls her fist into a ball_

"Right" Said Yang.

 _Yang continues forward with Zwei and turns the next corner of the hallways. Cut back to Blake and Weiss at the fairgrounds_.

"I'm headed to the docks near the courtyard. The White Fang are releasing Grimm into the school!" Shouted Yang. "The White Fang is here!? Yang!" Shouted Blake. "Ugh! Gotta go! Be careful!" Shouted Yang. "Blake, what are we going to do?" Asked Weiss. "We're going to the docks, and we're doing our job" Said Blake.

 _Blake uses her scroll to call upon her rocket locker, which lands behind her and opens up to reveal Gambol Shroud. Weiss gives one last look at Blake before nodding in agreement. Back at Amity Colosseum, the Nevermore screeches as it continues to weaken the force field that's keeping it from getting in._

"Warning: Safety Barriers Failing" Declared the Warning Announcer. "I... I was gonna destroy Penny?" Asked Pyrrha. "Yes, you were. The illusion, remember? All those hundreds of blades? Penny can only control 10 at a times using the wires" Said Hope, as he opened a panel on Penny's arm, exposing some wires. "How do you know so much about Penny's Systems?" Asked Ruby. "I've had 1, 000 years. And I somehow have her blueprints, schematics, and instruction manual on my phone. I've spent the last 100 years trying to remake her, perfectly. I thought I got it right the first time. The A.I. half life was perfect, body integrity was improved, she even took a likening to me, signifying a gaining of emotion. Then, somehow, things took a turn for the worse. She disabled herself. She killed herself. I couldn't understand. The half life was 40 years. She stopped at 7. Every time. I rebooted her, I tried perfecting the source code, I tried everything. Logic bomb, placed at certain places in the code. Backups. Nothing would word. These have nothing to do with that though" Said Hope, as he injected some of the wires with a needle. "Is that how you got the name Mr Robot?" Asked Penny. "... Yes. I was called Mr Robot because I was a massive failure at recreating a best friend" Said Hope. "Hope..." Said Pyrrha. "No. I got mad, and I couldn't save everyone. I ran away. This is my fault" Said Hope.

 _Suddenly, the Nevermore completely breaks through the holographic barrier, and the force of it landing on the arena floor knocks back Hope, Penny, Ruby and Pyrrha. The Nevermore screeches and lunges towards the group. Hope shoot the Nevermore in one of its wings with a laser cannon, obliterating that wing, causing the Nevermore to fall to the ground, in front of Hope._

"I will never allow anything made from evil to destroy things I love again" Said Hope, before he pushed the laser cannon into the Nevermore's throat, and fired, turning the Nevermore into dust.

 _A barrage of rocket lockers, fall from the sky onto the layer of dust in front of Hope, Ruby, Pyrrha, and a now undamaged Penny. The lockers then open up, revealing the weapons of various students, including Crocea Mors, StormFlower, Magnhild, and Yatsuhashi Daichi's large sword. The respective owner of the sword pulls it out from his locker, and is shown alongside Scarlet David gripping his cutlass and flintlock pistol, Sage Ayana with his own sword, and Neptune Vasilias with his gun in hand. The camera continues to pan over showing Sun Wukong with Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in its staff form, Ren and Nora carrying their respective weapons, and the remaining members of Team CFVY, the members of Team ABRN, as well as Flynt Coal and Neon Katt of Team FNKI, all gripping their respective weapons._

"Well. This is a very good replacement for an army" Said Hope. "What do you mean?" Asked Ren. "I hate to say it, but, we are at war. With Cinder Fall, the Grimm, and the White Fang" Said Hope.

 _Their moment is cut short when they notice hippogriff-like Grimm land on top of the colosseum. They fly towards the group of students as Ren calls the Grimm species out by their formal name._

"Griffons" Said Ren. "Got a plan of attack, Hope?" Asked Neptune. "Sun! I need your Scroll!" Shouted Ruby.

 _Sun uses his tail to flick his scroll to Ruby, who catches and uses it to summon her locker, which opens up revealing Crescent Rose inside. However, Ruby is stopped when a Griffon lands on her locker, and roars at her before being scared away at the sound of a gunshot._

"Students! And Hope! I think it would be best for you to leave" Said Port. "Alright. Jerk" Said Hope. "But we did a" Said Ruby. "Miss Rose! This day will surely go down in Remnant's history. I'd prefer it if my students could live to tell about it" Said Oobleck.

 _Ruby nods at the Doctor's words before grabbing Crescent Rose and twirling it into it's scythe form._

"Let's go!" Declared Ruby.

 _As all the students leave, Ruby gets distracted by the flash of Velvet Scarlatina's camera. She stops to look at the photograph she took but is interrupted when her leader calls out to her._

"Velvet!" Shouted Coco.

 _With the students and Hope clear of the arena, Port and Oobleck stand back-to-back with their weapons in hand as the Griffons circle around them._

"One final match, Barty! Place your bets! Mad King! OR THE ONE IN THE HOLE!" Declared Port.

 _Civilians continue to run and flee in panic as they reach the docking bays of the colosseum. Atlas Soldiers are seen directing civilians to calmly step into the Air Buses. A female student is seen breaking down in tears as another person tries to comfort her. Suddenly, White Fang Bullheads are seen dropping off more Grimm at the docking bay. Two Atlesian Knights escorting General James Ironwood effortlessly gun down an Ursa. As they proceed forward, the Knights are suddenly brutally ripped apart by a much larger, armored Beowolf variant. The Beowolf then notices Ironwood as the General starts to run towards it, gradually picking up speed as he nears the charging Beowolf. He gives a scream of effort as he pulls out his revolver from his coat. Ironwood ducks and slides under the Beowolf's swipe and shoots at it a couple times. The Beowolf then charges at Ironwood again, who fires his revolver a few more times before having to duck under another swipe. The Beowolf attempts to swipe at him again with its left claw, but Ironwood effortlessly stops it with his own right hand. The General then fires at the Beowolf's feet, the explosion causing it to get airborne, and still gripping it's claw, Ironwood proceeds to swing it back down to the ground with his own brute strength. Ironwood then picks up the Beowolf, aims the revolver at its skull, and shoots it, causing black blood to splatter from it. Ironwood then watches the body of the Beowolf dissipate before leaving. The students are then shown exiting the arena entrance and gather together in front of Ironwood._

"What's going on!?" Asked Ruby. "Grimm are crawling all over the city. The White Fang's invaded Beacon, and to make matters worse, some... vagabond has seized one of my ships. Until we regain command, the skies are out of our control. So I'm going to take it back" Said Ironwood, as he killed a Creep.

 _Ironwood turns and enters his ship._

"What should we do?" Asked Jaune. "Well, as I see it, it seems there are two options. Defend Vale and Beacon... or save yourselves. No one will fault you if you leave. I will make sure that you'll get home safely. But, if you stay, you will become a hero. The hero, who helped save Beacon and Vale. If you somehow manage to perish, your story, your legend, will be passed down by all of us. But, you won't. Because you all have something they don't. The fight for justice. Now, who wants to save the day?" Asked Hope.

 _While the students head to the nearest airship, Roman Torchwick is seen giddily fidgeting around with the controls of the Atlesian Airship, callsign "Blue-2", like a child in a candy store._

"Hmm... let's see, what does... this button do? Oh, fun! How about ... this one? Hm. Alright, nothing" Said Roman.

 _Neopolitan, still wearing her Atlesian military disguise, hands Roman a Scroll with the Black Queen insignia, as he inserts it in the console._

"Oh-ho-ho! Now this one, this one's gonna be fun!" Declared Roman.

 _As a squadron of Knights shoot down Grimm, they suddenly stop as their visors and LEDs turn a dark crimson, and turn around, pointing their guns at Glynda Goodwitch and Qrow Branwen as they continue to fight the Grimm, the realization shocking them as they see the Knights now turned against two of their now former masters._

"What!?" Asked Glynda.

 _On the courtyards of Beacon, Weiss and Blake are nearly caught off-guard by the local Knights also succumbing to the virus and turning towards them, forcing the duo to duck from the volley of fire._

"Look out!" Shouted Blake.

 _Weiss and Blake manage to dodge incoming fire, but the Knights surround them, forcing the Schnee and the Faunus to draw their weapons. Meanwhile, the oblivious general, still en route to the Airship, gets a nasty surprise when the Knights on his dropship suddenly activate and turn on him._

"No!" Shouted Ironwood.

 _As Ironwood reaches out, the dropship suddenly loses altitude, plummeting from the ground as two flashes can be seen from the cockpit. The students watch in horror as they see dropship fall from the sky. Hope decides to run to the bay doors of their Air Bus._

"Hope! What are you doing!?" Asked Ruby.

 _Hope then jumps off the Air Bus as it barely takes off, using his teleportation power to safely land on the runway after freefalling in the sky. As he runs to the stadium, he finds it nearly empty and full of brown dirt, where he sees a locker. He punches in the code, jumps into the locker, and immediately takes to the skies, landing on top Roman's stolen airship with a thud._

"Ugh... go see what that is" Said Roman.

 _Neo simply nods at Roman's command, and leaves the control room. Back at Beacon, the hacked Knights continue to fire, but they are cut up by flurry of slashes. Weiss is seen taking down a few knights using a combination of Myrtenaster's strikes as well as her using her Glyph Semblance, while Blake fights off a group of White Fang soldiers, before using her Semblance to dodge a dual sword-wielding soldier before getting overwhelmed by more White Fang members, but they are all suddenly knocked back by Weiss. Afterwards, Weiss and Blake stand back-to-back, but notice a group of human Atlas Soldiers fighting off an Atlesian Paladin, which has also been affected by the virus and turned rogue. The Paladin easily beats down the soldiers._

"Come on!" Shouted Weiss.

 _Before Weiss and Blake could assist the soldiers, they notice a Bullhead about to crash land. An armored Beowolf is seen jumping out of it before it could crash with the aircraft. The Beowolf lands on the ground and starts to chase after fleeing civilians. Weiss and Blake exchange one last look with each other before parting ways._

"Be safe" Said Weiss.

 _As the two part ways, Blake is seen running just outside the dining hall. However, she stops when the Beowolf from earlier latches onto the side of the building above her. Her attention is then drawn away from the Beowolf when she hears a wounded scream inside the burning interior of the dining hall. She then gives a look of horror when she sees a familiar figure throw an Atlas soldier._

"No... Adam?" Asked Blake. "Hello, darling" Said Adam, creepy.

 _All across Beacon Academy, various students battle the many Creatures of Grimm: Jaune is seen slashing at an Ursa, while Neon rollerblades away from a Boarbatusk. Coco opens fire on a Griffon, while Arslan is seen fighting an Ursa Major before it runs off to attack Nora, who fires at it with her grenade launcher. Ren is seen firing his guns at a retreating Beowolf before it drops dead. The camera then dynamically zooms under an archway before panning up a building, slowing down until it reveals Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai, and Mercury Black standing on the rooftop, the latter filming the chaos with his Scroll._

"Beautiful" Said Cinder. "It's almost sad" Said Emerald. "It's horrendous. Focus on the Atlesian Knights" Said Cinder. "Oh, I'm getting all of it" Said Murcury. "Good. Continue the broadcast until the end" Said Cinder.

 _Suddenly, a tremor rocks the three of them._

"And do not miss what happens next" Said Cinder.

 _Cinder walks off as Mercury continues filming with an evil grin on his face, while Emerald's expression only grows more worrisome. Inside his office, Ozpin watches the battle on three video feeds, one showing some buildings, the middle showing a group of Atlas soldiers struggling a against a Deathstalker on Beacon's main avenue, and the last showing civilians stuck on a rooftop waving for help, while an Ursa slowly crawls up the side of the building. Ozpin then starts to walk away from his desk, grabbing his cane in the process, before proceeding to the elevator. However, he is stopped in his tracks when a sudden tremor shakes the ground. Back in the city, Glynda and Qrow continue fighting, before they too are shaken by another tremor. Qrow stabs his sword into the ground to keep himself standing._

"No... It can't be..." Said Glynda.

 _Another tremor shakes Jaune as he battles an Ursa Major, with Sage and Scarlet piggyback riding on it with worried expressions on their faces. Elsewhere, a mountain starts to violently shake and crumble, as various body parts of a monstrous-looking Grimm are revealed, before the mountain completely breaks apart, releasing a titanic Dragon-like Grimm. The Dragon roars and flies over the abandoned Mountain Glenn, heading towards Beacon. As it flies, it exudes a black, tar-like substance which drops to the ground in the city of Vale and spawns various Grimm. Ozpin approaches the window of his office, noticing the Dragon getting closer. The massive Grimm excretes more of the black substance, which drops to the ground and spawns more Grimm near the base of the CCT. As the Grimm charge forward, the camera pans across the members of Team SSSN and Team JNPR in a lineup as they prepare to battle the incoming enemies, with Jaune and Pyrrha exchanging a smile with each other. Before they could go forward, Pyrrha notices Ozpin standing the entrance of the tower, while Team SSSN runs off to fight off their enemies. Pyrrha then walks towards her headmaster without saying a word to her teammates, much to their confusion._

"Where's she going?" Asked Nora. "I'll go find out. You two stay here and keep fighting" Said Jaune.

 _As he goes to follow Pyrrha, the camera then zooms in to a building in the background, with a familiar figure standing on the rooftop with her weapons in hand. A close up of Cinder's eyes are seen glowing ominously before the episode cuts to black._


	37. Vol 3: The Memories Remain

_After the opening credits, the Dragon flies past the hijacked Atlesian Airship, as Hope looks on, with the surrounding Griffons roaming the skies. A Griffon lands on the airship, but Hope easily cuts it down with his two Hook Swords, causing to disintegrate into black particles. But suddenly, he hears a snap, turning to see Neopolitan, now changing into her standard attire with a wave of light washing over her from bottom to top, as she winks after taking a picture of Hope, sending it to a certain crime lord with the following text: "Guess Who?"_

"Oh, you can not be serious!" Shouted Roman.

 _Having realized his old foe is interfering yet again, the wanted criminal quickly picks up Melodic Cudgel and walks up to the top of the airship. Right outside of Beacon's dining hall, Blake Belladonna backs away from the shattered window, staring in horror at her old partner._

"Running away again? Is that what you've become, my love? A coward?" Asked Roman. "Why are you doing this?" Asked Blake. "You and I were going to change the world, remember? We were destined to light the fires of revolution! Consider this... a spark" Said Adam, as he attempted to stab an Atlas Student.

 _Blake charges into the dining hall, drawing her sword in a flash. Her blade clashes with his as she pushes him away from the student, and they stand with their blades locked._

"I'm... not... running" Said Blake. "You... will" Said Adam.

 _He kicks her away, knocking her onto the floor. A nearby Creep runs toward her, only to be shot by Adam._

"But not before you suffer for your betrayal, my love" Said Adam.

 _He smiles and begins walking toward her. Back outside the Beacon grounds, Velvet Scarlatina groans as she struggles to get up, only to get knocked back down when Coco Adel bumps into her after getting knocked away from a Paladin off screen. The camera pans with Neon Katt and Reese Chloris as they dodge and weave between groups of students fighting against the infected Atlesian Knights and Paladins. Yatsuhashi Daichi is seen fighting a Griffon while Flynt Coal uses his trumpet to hold back a Paladin. Weiss Schnee then arrives on the battlefield, but get knocked back another Paladin._

"Weiss!" Shouted Neptune.

 _Yatsuhashi tries to hold back a Paladin's fist with his sword, but he gets knocked back. The Paladin then turns to and starts approaching a distracted Lie Ren._

"Look out!" Shouted Nora, as she pushes Ren out of the way of the Paladin's incoming strike, taking the hit instead. "Nora! No!" Shouted Ren, as he reaches out to her, but gets knocked back by the Paladin too.

 _Coco and Neptune Vasilias fire their weapons at the Paladin, but it is unfazed._

"Uh, this is bad" Said Neptune. "Well, I guess now's a better time than any. Velvet!" Shouted Coco. "Really?" Asked Velvet, exited. "Just make them count" Said Coco.

 _Velvet nods. As she walks up to the Paladins, "I May Fall" begins to play in the background._

"What are you doing!? She's going to get hurt!" Shouted Weiss. "Just watch" Said Coco.

 _With her weapon, Velvet begins to replicate Crescent Rose, as she imitates Ruby's overhead spin, landing on top of the Paladin as she dodges its cannon fire. She then replicates Myrtenaster to deflect the Paladin's punch and land a few blows before pushing it back with the Ember Celica imitation. Once after she lands a few shots, she slides under the Paladin's fist, similar to Blake as she uses the Gambol Shroud copy and uses its string to trip over the mech, before moving to the second Paladin by lopping off its hand, and jabbing it in the head with the cleaver. Before it can react, it is immediately peppered with imitation bullets, thanks to copying Coco's minigun. As it moves forward, Velvet switches to using Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang as a reference, as she lands another few hits while landing a downward blow from above with a copy of Magnhild, severing a limb. As the first Paladin attempts to recover, Velvet immediately copies Penny's swords, as she leaps off the second Paladin and slices apart its legs before blasting it at full power. However, the first Paladin sucker punches Velvet._

"Aah!" Shouted Velvet. "Velvet!" Shouted Coco.

 _At this, Coco, Neptune, Nadir, and Reese land suppressing fire. Furious, Weiss immediately rushes in, as she instinctively uses a summoning glyph, confusing her. When she rushes in between Velvet and the Paladin, she closes her eyes and grits her teeth as she discovers she summoned the arm and sword of the Giant Armor she fought before, who blocks the Paladin's fist and bisects the machine in half. She takes brief look at her summoning before being surprised by a camera flash, which was taken by a smiling Velvet. But before they can take a breath, another advanced Paladin rushes in from the corner and begins to charge at them._

"You have got to be kidding me!" Shouted Sun.

 _Back at the airship, the battle commences as Hope performs an low swing, with Neo somersaulting over it, and ducking the next swing, before performing another backflip to dodge the third, but Hope hits her in the nose with the fourth strike. Hope then starts advancing towards Neo, countering every attack Neo does, and hitting back with hook sword strikes to her head and chest, knocking Neo down with the last strike. Hope attempts to kill Neo with a strike to the head, causing Neo to shatter in an illusion, revealing Roman as he fires a shot back with Melodic Cudgel, sending Hope flying several feet, before he teleports back to behind Roman and Neo._

"What the matter, Hopey? Lost your mind? You'd never kill someone, so why kill the little one?" Asked Roman. "Got it in one, doctor ACO" Said Hope, as he charged at Neo and Roman.

 _Hope then swats aside Melodic Cudgel just as Roman attempts to fire it at him, causing him to move a few feet off-balance, before Neo returns and leaps over him, but Hope uses her momentum to throw her through the top of the ship, sending her into a lower floor._

"NEO!" Shouted Roman. "Now. Die for me" Said Hope.

 _Hope puts a black device around his waist, and then a device that looked like a game device, on the first device. Hope then held up a White Gashet._

"Roman Torchwick, you have been charged with grand theft auto, murder, grand theft, assault, and the worst of all. Being a dick. Verdict, guilty. Exacution? Dangerous Zombie" Said Hope, as he inserted the Gashet, and pressed a purple button on the Buggle Driver. "Buggle Up! Danger! Danger! Genocide! Death the Crisis! Dangerous Zombie!" Declared the Buggle Driver, as Hope transformed into Kamen Rider Gemn Level X. Suddenly, several Gemn Level Xs appeared, causing Roman to try and run away.

 _Hope then pressed both the A and B buttons on the Buggle Driver, and then the B button, making a black pool with seemingly decayed hands under himself. The black pool of hands then started moving towards Roman, before catching up to him, and exploding, making the airship they are on fall towards the ground._

"Here we go" Said Hope.

 _Back in the city, Glynda Goodwitch uses her riding crop to knock back a few Creeps, while Qrow Branwen slices and blasts at a few infected Knights with his sword. Cardin Winchester giddily knocks back an Ursa with his mace, but then gets held at gunpoint by a few infected Knights. Suddenly, their heads are shot off, surprising Cardin. As the smoke clears, it is revealed that General Ironwood miraculously survived his crash, his damaged uniform exposing the right half of his body to be cybernetic. Without hesitation, he shoots down all of the infected Knights with his revolver._

"This area's secure! We need to" Said Ironwood.

 _Suddenly, Qrow's expression changes into what appears to be anger. He transforms his sword into a scythe and charges toward Ironwood._

"Qrow! This isn't my doing!" Shouted Ironwood.

 _Qrow continues charging, despite Ironwood's words. The general flips his gun in his hand and gets into a battle stance, preparing for the perceived attack. However, Qrow leaps past Ironwood, who turns around just in time to see a large Griffon lunging at him. With one swing of Qrow's scythe, the Griffon is sliced in two. Upon landing, Qrow turns around to address Ironwood._

"You idiot. I know you didn't do this" Said Qrow.

 _Ironwood relaxes and sighs, lowering his head and putting his hand to his forehead, while Glynda places her hand on his shoulder._

"So what now, General?" Asked Qrow. "Someone's done the impossible and gained control of my machines. And that enormous Grimm seems to be fixated on the school. Glynda, form up the local Huntsmen and establish a safe zone here in Vale. We need to evacuate Beacon. Qrow, I'm leaving that to you and my men. I still need to get to my ship" Said Ironwood.

 _The three hear a loud noise and turn to see its source: Ironwood's ship slowly nosediving into the ground._

"Well, it won't be much of a walk" Said Qrow.

 _The Atlesian Knights that are still functioning attempt one last time to harm the Huntsmen, before powering down. In the Beacon courtyard, the students stand prepared to fight the Atlesian Paladin that is charging toward them. However, electricity arcs across it and it suddenly powers down, collapsing and sliding to a stop in front of them._

"Hm. That went better than expected" Said Sun.

 _Weiss doubles over, exhausted, leaning on Myrtenaster to keep herself standing._

"Weiss! You're okay! Have you heard from Ruby?" Asked Yang.

 _Weiss nods and points and Ruby, fighting some Grimm._

"Good, Ruby's fine. What about Hope?" Asked Yang. "He's not anywhere I know of" Said Weiss. "And Blake?" Asked Yang. "She went after an Alpha... and some members of the White Fang" Said Weiss. "I'll meet up with Blake" Said Yang.

 _Yang hurries off in the direction that Weiss pointed, while the heiress gives a thumbs up. In the Beacon vault, an elevator opens up to reveal Ozpin, Jaune, and Pyrrha. The three immediately sprint out of the elevator and down the corridor._

"What is this place?" Asked Jaune. "It's... a type of vault" Said Pyrrha. "You've... been here before?" Asked Jaune.

 _Pyrrha looks away from him._

"What would this school need to... hide?" Asked Jaune.

 _Finally seeing the Aura transfer machine, Jaune stops in his tracks, gazing wide-eyed at the strange contraption and the comatose girl inside._

"What? Who?" Asked Jaune. "Jaune..." Said Pyrrha. "Pyrrha! Get to the pods!" Shouted Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha looks at Jaune, then runs to the second pod._

"Mister Arc, if you'd like to help, you can stand guard here" Said Ozpin.

 _Jaune looks at the two with uncertainty, then turns around and gets into a guarding stance._

"What do we do now?" Asked Jaune. "We, do nothing" Said Ozpin.

 _The second pod opens, and Ozpin turns his head to look at Pyrrha._

"You, Miss Nikos... have a choice to make" Said Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha looks at the pod, then at Jaune, hesitating. Her expression changes from uncertainty to sadness, and she wipes a tear from her eye, still looking at Jaune. She then climbs into the pod, which closes._

"This could've been our day! Can't you see that!?" Asked Adam. "I never wanted this! I wanted equality! I wanted peace!" Shouted Blake.

 _She raises her sword, its blade folding into sickle mode, and shoots at Adam, who blocks both bullets with his sword._

"What you want is impossible!" Shouted Adam.

 _He sheathes his sword and backhands Blake across her face, knocking her over._

"But I understand because all I want is you, Blake" Said Adam

 _She begins to raise her sickle again, only for him to kick it out of her hand, knocking her over once again._

"And as I set out upon this world and deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves, I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love" Said Adam. "Blake!" Shouted Yang.

 _Yang's voice draws their attention to one of the broken windows. She soon comes into view and shoots a White Fang member, before looking around for her teammate._

"Blake! Where are you!?" Asked Yang.

 _Adam looks at Blake to see her terrified expression, then returns his gaze to Yang._

"Starting with her" Said Adam.

 _Meanwhile, in Beacon's Vault._

"Are you ready?" Asked Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha looks at him and gives a slow nod._

"I... I need to hear you say it" Said Ozpin. "Yes" Said Pyrrha. "Thank you, Miss Nikos" Said Ozpin.

 _Ozpin presses a few more buttons on the screen, and Amber's pod raises up. Amber begins glowing orange, and her eyelids begin fluttering. The orange glow travels along the pipes connecting the two pods - first up to the ceiling, then down to Pyrrha's pod. An orange glow surrounds Pyrrha, who begins screaming out in agony._

"Pyrrha!" Shouted Jaune.

 _Jaune runs over to Pyrrha's pod, moving his gaze back and forth between Pyrrha and Amber's pod. While Jaune panics, trying to understand what's going on, Ozpin looks away._

"I'm... so sorry" Said Ozpin.

 _Suddenly, an arrow pierces the glass of Amber's pod, striking her in the chest. Amber gasps, and her eyes open, then begin to close again, while the machine begins beeping an alarm. Ozpin and Jaune turn around to see Cinder Fall standing halfway down the corridor from them, an obsidian bow in her hand. She lowers the bow, a tiny smirk creeping across her face. Adam draws his sword and stabs it into Blake's abdomen near her left hip, causing her to shriek in pain. The cry catches Yang's attention._

"Huh?" Asked Yang.

 _Adam stands upright, pulling his sword from Blake's flesh and turning to face Yang._

"Get away from her!" Roared Yang. "No... please..." Said Blake, weakly.

 _Adam sheathes his sword, smiling. Yang screams, her eyes turning red and a burst of flame erupting from her. She leaps at Adam, drawing her fist back with tears in her eyes. Adam draws his sword, and prepares to strike Yang. Suddenly, a black cloud of smoke appeared between Yang and Adam, and Hope came out, pulling Yang away before Adam struck, and landing next to Blake._

"Come on, old bull. Allow me to show you what one thousand years of sadness looks like" Said Hope, as he summoned the Gashacon Sparrow in its Sickle mode.

 _Hope then disappeared, then reappeared in front of Adam, and tried to attack Adam, but Adam blocked. Hope then reconfigured the Gashacon Sparrow into it's Arrow mode, and fired at Adam, shattering his mask, and making him stumble backwards a little. He then looked at Hope, angry._

"Aw. Does the little bull have baby blue eyes? Oh, how cute. Look, Yang. It's your twin" Said Hope, as Hope tripped Adam over, and put his foot on Adam's face. "I'm ok, Yang" Said Blake. "But, you're bleeding, Blake. You can barely move" Said Yang. "Anyway. Adam 'Black' Taurus. You are charges with multiple acts of terrorism, multiple acts of murder, jaywalking... yeah, thought you could get with that, did you? And personal acts against my friends. And, as King of the Fangire, my judgement is death" Said Hope, as a Fangire Royal Crest appeared on his hand, and the sky around Beacon turned red.

 _Hope plugged the Dangerous Zombie Gashet into the Gashacon Sparrow, and picks Adam up, and throws him across the room. Amber struggles to breathe, her eyes wide, the machine's alarm still playing. Finally, all breath leaves her. Her eyes drift closed, and her head leans to the side, her whole body going limp. The green flames that light the torches throughout the vault suddenly snuff out. Pyrrha frantically beats her fists against the glass of her pod. The orange glow leaves Pyrrha and travels back through the pipes into Amber. The glow then bursts out of Amber, shattering the glass in its way, and enters Cinder. The murderer glows, begins floating, and gains long trails of flame around her eyes, with orange energy swirling around her. Pyrrha beats even harder on the glass, her stress increasing. Jaune raises his sword and charges toward Cinder._

"Stay back!" Shouted Ozpin.

 _Cinder casts a large fireball toward Jaune, who blocks it with his shield and is blasted backwards, landing on his back. Finally, Pyrrha uses her Semblance to rip the pod's door off its hinges, throwing it at Cinder, who knocks it away like it's nothing. As Cinder begins to descend to the floor, Pyrrha leaps out of the pod and charges, calling her weapon and shield to her with her Semblance. However, Ozpin puts his arm out, stopping her._

"Take Jaune and get out of here! Find Glynda! Ironwood! Qrow! Bring them here right away! The tower cannot fall!" Shouted Ozpin. "But I can help" Said Pyrrha. "You'll only get in the way" Said Ozpin.

 _Pyrrha hesitates for a moment but obeys Ozpin, scooping up Jaune and running away. While she does so, Cinder descends to the floor and watches them leave, with the glow, the swirling energy, and the flames around her eyes all disappearing. Cinder turns her attention back to Ozpin, her eyes still glowing for a moment._

"This whole time... right beneath our feet. She was right about you" Said Cinder.

 _Ozpin turns his cane in his grip, staring hard at Cinder._

"Such arrogance" Said Cinder.

 _The camera zooms in with a close up on their faces before panning upwards to a bird's eye view of the standoff. Hope has transformed the Gashacon Sparrow into it's Sickle mode. Hope then dashes towards Adam._

"No!" Shouted Yang.

 _Suddenly, Yang dashed in between of Adam and Hope, and blocked the two Sickles._

"Yang! What the hell are you doing!" Shouted Hope. "Everyone is worth saving! Remember!?" Asked Yang. "But he hurts you! He cuts off one of your arms! And causes Blake to run away!" Shouted Hope. "So!? You don't have to kill him over it!" Shouted Yang. "... No. I have to. He kills Weiss. And, by proxy, Qrow, Nora and Ren. He cause so much destruction, and I'm never letting that happen. He will be brought to justice" Said Hope. "But you've prevented that. I still have two arms. Blake won't run, right Blake?" Asked Yang. "Yeah" Said Blake. "... Yeah. You have a point" Said Hope, as he moved the Gashacon Sparrow. "Thank you" Said Yang.

 _Suddenly, Adam tried to cut Yang's head off, but Yang blocked it with Ember Celia, and Hope broke Adam's sword in three pieces, and kicked Adam out through a wall._

"Get out of here" Said Hope, as he seemingly started to pixelate. "What's happening to you?" Asked Yang. "Well, I'm getting... resolved. I can't exist now that I solved myself. Since the real me, well, the me you know, has noticed that something major has changed here, he's a coming. Young me. You're boyfriend, but not me" Said Hope. "I'll remember you" Said Yang, as she kissed Hope. "Hm. Blake. Past me has wanted to adopt you, as a sister, for a long time. Please go and do it for him. He's too nervous to ask you directly. He fears that you'll take it the wrong way. Yang. See you first game" Said Hope, as he faded into pixels.


	38. Vol 3: Double Knockout

_After the opening, the scene shows the darkened corridor of the Vault under Beacon. Only flashes of green and vermilion are illuminated in the darkness. More flashes are shown as Ozpin and Cinder Fall clash weapons against each other. After a clash, Cinder slides back, using her hand to melt the floor below her, and summons ice crystals from the newly-formed substance, hurling them towards Ozpin. Ozpin deflects them all by moving at superhuman speed, and then darts forward and delivers a bunch of strikes at Cinder with his cane, with the last blow launching her back. Cinder then floats mid air by unleashing her Maiden power. Ozpin then slams his cane into the floor, forming a spherical force-field around him. Cinder then unleashes a powerful fire blast, with Ozpin leaping into the attack with the barrier protecting him. As he closes in on her, the screen fades to white. The screen then fades out to the docks outside of Beacon. Air buses are seen picking up the last few civilians and students. Peter Port and Bartholomew Oobleck oversee the evacuation._

"That's it! Everybody on board! This is a mandatory evacuation!" Declared Port. "A safe zone has been established in Vale! Please, remain calm and listen to Atlas personnel!" Shouted Oobleck.

 _Weiss Schnee stares at what is in front of her, in disbelief. As Ruby Rose comes running down the path, Zwei barks to alert Weiss to her leader's presence, and Weiss turns around to greet her._

"Ruby!" Shouted Weiss. "Oh, I found you!" Shouted Ruby. "Ruby, where have you" Said Weiss. "Don't worry, I'm fine! What's going on?" Asked Ruby.

 _Unsure of what to say, Weiss lowers her gaze sadly._

"Weiss? What is it?" Asked Ruby.

 _Weiss steps aside, giving Ruby a clear view of Blake Belladonna and Yang. Blake has bandages wrapped around her wounds, and Yang had makeshift casts on her arms. Behind them sit Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren, who are too battered and bruised to fight. Blake reaches over and places her hand on Yang's._

"I'm sorry" Said Blake. "It's ok, Blake. Just pushed it a little too hard" Said Yang.

 _Ruby reaches out and opens her mouth to say something, but in her emotional state, she doesn't know what to say._

"I'm so sorry" Said Blake, as she passed out. "Hey, Ruby" Said Yang. "Blake..." Said Ruby. "Hey. She's gonna be okay. The soldiers have a ship ready to take you guys to Vale" Said Sun. "But Jaune and Pyrrha are still missing" Said Nora.

 _Nora attempts to stand, but she quickly sits back down, groaning and holding her side._

"What!?" Asked Ruby. "Look, guys, that giant Grimm is circling the school! Even the White Fang are pulling out! We all have to go, now!" Shouted Sun. "We're not... leaving! Ugh!" Shouted Ren, as he tried to stand, but failed.

 _Sun turns and casts a worried look at Blake._

"I'll find them... I'll find them, and I'll bring them back" Said Ruby. "No! We will find them. Watch after Blake. We'll be back" Said Weiss.

 _Ruby and Weiss run back toward Beacon Academy, while Sun watches them go._

"You better be! Idiots" Said Sun.

 _The camera pans down the front of Beacon Tower as Jaune and Pyrrha run out of the front door. The muffled sounds of Ozpin and Cinder's fight can be heard._

"Okay, I think I have Glynda's number. Oh, where is it?" Asked Janue, as he looked through his scroll.

 _Pyrrha turns and stares silently at Beacon Tower. Jaune's voice soon breaks her concentration._

"Pyrrha? What was all of that?" Asked Jaune. "I..." Said Pyrrha.

 _Their conversation is interrupted by an explosion, followed by Cinder using fire to fly up through the elevator shaft. The two teens stare at the tower in surprise._

"But... Ozpin..." Said Jaune. "There's no time. Go. Get to Vale and call for help" Said Pyrrha. "Huh? What are you gonna do?" Asked Jaune.

 _Pyrrha slowly turns her head to stare up at the top of Beacon Tower. Following her gaze, Jaune realizes what she plans to do._

"No... no, Pyrrha, you can't. You saw how powerful she is! Pyrrha, I won't let you do" Said Jaune.

 _Suddenly, Pyrrha grabs Jaune's head in both hands and silences him with a long kiss on the lips. After a moment of hesitation, he gently pulls her in and returns the kiss, while Pyrrha slightly raises her foot behind her. She then pulls away, ending the kiss, and stares into his eyes, one hand on his cheek and the other on his chest._

"I'm sorry" Said Pyrrha.

 _She then uses her Semblance on his armor, pushing him directly into a nearby locker, which slams shut from the impact._

"Hey! Wait! Stop, stop! Pyrrha, please don't do this!" Shouted Jaune, panicked.

 _While Jaune pleads, Pyrrha walks over to the locker and begins typing coordinates into it. She looks him in the eyes one last time, before stepping back and watching the locker fly away. Once it vanishes into the distance, she clenches her fists and, once again, adopts a determined demeanor as she walks toward the tower. Once she steps through the entrance, she runs to the nearest elevator and uses her Semblance to force the doors open. Inside, she finds that Cinder has left a large hole in the floor and roof of the elevator on her way up. Pyrrha steps inside the elevator, closes her eyes, and begins mustering all of her strength. The elevator begins shaking. She focuses even harder, straining herself, until the elevator begins a quick ascent toward the top. Meanwhile, Ruby and Weiss are on their way back to Beacon campus, when Weiss' Scroll begins ringing._

"It's Jaune! Where are you?" Asked Weiss. "Weiss! Please, you have to stop her!" Shouted Jaune. "What!?" Shouted Weiss. "Pyrrha! She's going after that woman at the top of the tower! She doesn't stand a chance!" Shouted Jaune. "Jaune, what are you talking about!? Where are you?" Asked Weiss. "Don't worry about me! Please, you have to save Pyrrha" Said Jaune. "We will. Are you okay?" Asked Weiss.

 _With one last flare of emotion, Jaune screams and throws his Scroll onto the ground, breaking it. He collapses onto his hands and knees, crying._

"Please..." Said Jaune. "Jaune? Jaune!" Shouted Weiss.

 _The ground shakes, alerting Ruby and Weiss to the danger that approaches them. The Dragon flies into view, circling Beacon Tower with black ooze dripping from it. It perches on one of the arches stemming from the tower and utters a screech. Ruby draws Crescent Rose, shifting it into its scythe form in preparation for the Grimm spawning from the ooze._

"I have a plan" Said Ruby. "You always do" Said Weiss.

 _At the top of the tower, in Ozpin's office, a large amount of smoke flows out from the elevator, masking the entrance of Cinder Fall. She confidently strides to the window across the room, a smirk on her face. As if sensing her presence, the Dragon climbs up to the top, peers at her through the window, and screeches._

"Shhhh... This is your home now" Said Cinder.

 _The Dragon stares at her and utters a shorter, quieter screech. Cinder backs away from the window and holds her hand out to the side, creating a fireball in her palm. The sound of sparks distracts her, and she looks over her shoulder at the elevator, her fireball dissipating. After a few moments, the sparks come to a stop, and immediately upon the elevator doors' opening, Pyrrha's spear flies toward Cinder, who casually leans to her right to dodge with a smirk on her face. The spear is soon followed by Pyrrha's shield, backed by Pyrrha herself, and Cinder puts her arms up, blocking it and pushing it away. While Cinder uses fire to hover in the air, Pyrrha calls her spear and shield back to her with polarity, staring down her opponent. Cinder gains a fiery glow around her eyes and swipes her hand through the air, attacking Pyrrha with an arc of fire. She then shoots a stream of fire, which Pyrrha dives over. Six small fireballs form in a circle behind Cinder, and she sends another streak of fire toward Pyrrha, who barely avoids it. Once again, the Maiden sends a stream of fire the young redhead's way, but this time, Pyrrha blocks it with her shield. She leaps toward Cinder, powering through the flame, and as soon as the fire stops, she spins around and slashes Cinder's arm with her spear. However, Cinder catches the blade and pulls, turning Pyrrha around. Cinder slams her palm into Pyrrha's stomach, and fire bursts forth, blasting Pyrrha away. Pyrrha slams into a wall and falls to her hands and knees. She then stands back up and faces Cinder with determination still in her eyes. Cinder propels herself forward with flames jetting from her hands, smirking once again. She attempts to slam into Pyrrha's abdomen, but Pyrrha leaps into the air above her and wraps her arm around Cinder's. As Cinder slows to a stop, Pyrrha positions herself to place her feet on the wall behind her and pushes off, flipping herself over Cinder. She uses the momentum to flip and toss Cinder across the floor. Cinder lands on her front and, as she slides, she pushes off the floor to get back on her feet and perform a back-handspring. Her smirk turns into a look of slight concern upon the sight of Pyrrha charging forward to slam her shield into Cinder's abdomen and push her over. As Cinder stumbles backwards, Pyrrha hits Cinder's right hand with the blunt end of her spear, then slashes Cinder's left hand with the spear's blade. She then spins around and slashes across Cinder's abdomen and legs. Pyrrha spins around to attack again, but Cinder performs a backflip whilst kicking Pyrrha, with flames trailing behind her foot. The kick knocks Pyrrha into the air, and Pyrrha quickly rights herself. She flips her spear in her grip, holds it back, and then tosses it toward Cinder while firing the gun mechanism. Six fireballs appear around Cinder again, but they dissipate when Cinder backhands the spear away. Pyrrha's shield then flies toward her, and she hits it away, as well. After being momentarily distracted by the shield, Cinder returns her attention to Pyrrha and gains a look of slight surprise, then annoyance. Pyrrha launches herself toward Cinder and puts her arms around her, tackling her. The two turn each other in mid-air, fighting to be the one on top. Upon their landing, the room fills with a white cloud. When the dust settles, Pyrrha has Cinder in a choke hold, and Cinder is barely managing to hold Pyrrha's spear away from her neck. The Dragon flies away, and Cinder's eyes begin glowing as she applies heat to the spear in her hands. Her grip tightens as she heats the spear more and more, staring over her shoulder at Pyrrha. Upon hearing a loud screech, Cinder turns her gaze ahead and smirks, while Pyrrha gains a look of fear. While Pyrrha sets her focus on the Dragon that is flying toward the tower, Cinder finally snaps the spear's melted blade into pieces. Just before the Dragon slams its wing into the roof of Ozpin's office, Cinder elbows Pyrrha in the abdomen. The room fills with a green glow as the windows shatter and Pyrrha goes flying across the room. Giant cogs and debris come crashing down in the office, and the structure containing the CCT's transmitter falls to the ground outside, in pieces. Pyrrha crawls toward her shield, while Cinder watches on from her position levitating off the floor with flame jetting from her feet. While looking for a way to distract Cinder, Pyrrha notices Ozpin's collapsed metal desk and uses her polarity to throw it at the corrupt Maiden, knocking her to the floor. She then quickly grabs her shield and rolls across the floor, sitting up on her knees and holding the shield up. With a burst of flame, Cinder throws the desk off of herself and levitates in the air. Pyrrha rolls out of the way of two streams of fire that Cinder sends her way and attempts to block a third. However, the force of the third sends Pyrrha tumbling backward, and the floor momentarily catches fire while Pyrrha rolls to her feet. From behind the wall of flame, Pyrrha throws her shield at Cinder, who confidently backhands it away. She then looks up in surprise to see a multitude of giant cogs floating in the air around her. Using her polarity, Pyrrha directs her shield to knock Cinder's feet from beneath her and then slams a cog down on Cinder's abdomen to pin her to the floor. She calls her shield back to her arm, then brings the cogs together into a pile on top of Cinder. However, Cinder blasts them away with a powerful burst of fire, sending them in all directions. One of the cogs flies toward Pyrrha, who raises her shield to block, in vain. The force of the impact slams her into the remains of a wall, taking away the last of her Aura. On the ground below, Ruby and Weiss fight off Grimm._

"We've gotta hurry!" Shouted Ruby.

 _Weiss looks around for a moment, before casting a series of glyphs up the side of the tower._

"You can do this" Said Weiss.

 _Ruby runs forward, then uses her Semblance to propel herself up to the first glyph. She then sprints up the wall, the glyphs propelling her forward and keeping her from falling off. Cinder forms an obsidian bow in her hand. As she raises it up and draws back an obsidian arrow, Pyrrha charges forward, spins, and throws her shield at her. Cinder looses the arrow, which shatters upon impact with the side of the shield. However, as the fragments part ways above and below the shield, they glow orange and rejoin each other on the other side. The fragments melt into each other and cool into the shape of an arrow, which continues on its path directly into Pyrrha's ankle. Pyrrha collapses in pain. She attempts to pull herself to her feet, but the pain is too much. Both ends of the arrow break off, making removal impossible. She turns over onto her hands and knees as Cinder moves to stand in front of her._

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours. But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never have imagined" Said Cinder. "Do you believe in destiny?" Asked Pyrrha, smiling. "Yes" Said Cinder,

 _Cinder stands back up and forms an obsidian bow and arrow again. She pulls back the arrow, lowering the bow to aim at her weakened opponent. Nearby, Ruby finally reaches the top of the tower, landing in a kneeling position. She looks upon the scene, seeing Pyrrha sitting with her eyes closed, accepting the fate that awaits her. Cinder looses the arrow, which plants itself directly in the center of Pyrrha's chest. Ruby watches in horror as Pyrrha gasps in pain, the wound in her chest emitting a red glow. Cinder approaches her fallen foe and attempts to place a hand on Pyrrha's forehead, when suddenly, gunshots were heard, and Cinder was knocked down. Ruby then looked over to where she heard the gunshots echo from, witch showed Hope, holding a Trigger Magnum._

"Don't you ever hurt my Pyrrha again" Said Hope, as he pulled the arrow out of Pyrrha's chest, then placed his hand on her chest. "You!? You dare stop me now!?" Shouted Cinder. "Yeah. And here's a fun fact for you, darling" Said Hope, as he moved the hand from Pyrrha's chest, revealing Pyrrha's chest and leg wounds to be healed. "How?..." Asked Pyrrha. "I woke Amber, and asked her for her power. She accepted. I predicted that that was what you wanted, and I stole it before you did. My name is Hope, I'm over 1,000 years old. You wanna know what I was doing those 1,000 years? I got better at fighting. I learned battle tactics that you couldn't even begin to understand. And do you want to know the reason why I knew your strategy? One hint. I'm the chessmaster" Said Hope. "You knew everything that was happening..." Said Ruby. "And more. First rule. No Killing. g. Nillinok. Or, translated from Fal'ce, King of Thought. That's what Etro called me" Said Hope.

 _Cinder then fired a huge fire blast at Hope, who simply extended his right arm at the fire blast, as wings, made of aura, appeared from his back. The fire blast then hit Hope._

"Yes... yes! He is dead!" Shouted Cinder. "I wouldn't say that" Said Hope, as the fire was absorbed into his wings. The wings then disappeared. "Now, as I am a fair person, I will accommodate your needs, and transform" Said Hope, as he quickly turned on the Wizardriver. "Thank you for play testing the Maiden Powers. Please return that power to its rightful owner. Ruby, get Pyrrha out of here." Said Hope, as a sigil appeared under Hope's feet.

 _Ruby then grabbed Pyrrha, and ran down the Beacon Tower. Hope then put on the Infinity Wizard Ring, and placed his left hand on the Wizardriver. A rainbow glowing sigil then started spreading from underneath Hope's feet, soon covering all of Vale. A glowing white dragon then came out of the sigil, as the familiar cry of "INFINITY:PLEASE! HEI, SUI, FUU, DOU, BOUN, ZABA, BYUNN, DAGON!" rang out, all over Vale, as Hope was covered in crystals, and then the crystals exploded off of him, revealing him in Wizard Infinity Styles._

"Wizardragon, take care of the Grimm Dragon" Said Hope, as Wizardragon tackled the Grimm Dragon out of the sky. Hope then used the Connect Ring to summon the WizarSwordGun.

 _Cinder then summoned her two obsidian swords, and Hope and Cinder started sword fighting, with Hope winning. Suddenly, the Grimm Dragon flew through the room, splitting it in half. Wizardragon then grabbed the Grimm Dragon, and smashed it through a few buildings in Vale. Back with Hope and Cinder, Cinder started throwing fire blasts at Hope, with every blast hitting Hope. Cinder then made her bow and arrow, firing all in front of her, with the arrows splitting up into shards, hovering around Hope. Hope then used the Copy Ring on the WizarSwordGun, making a copy of it. Hope then deflected all of the shards that started flying towards him, before they made a giant arrow, witch Hope cut through, before he threw Cinder off of the tower, witch she survived, but lost her aura as a result._

"This is your end!" Declared Hope, as he put on the Kick Strike Ring, and scanned it into the WizarDriver. Hope then jumped off of Beacon Tower, and attempted to Rider Kick Cinder, but the Grimm Dragon tried to stop him, witch had minimum effect, and it ended up dead, but then Adam stopped him. "You will never... hurt my Cinder!" Shouted Adam. "I never wanted to. You are the only killer here" Said Hope, before he twisted his body, and kicked Adam in the side, sending him flying off of Beacon. Hope then canceled his transformation. Hope then pressed his palm into Cinder's head, taking her Maiden Powers and teleporting her onto a air ship, unconscious. "Good, now, one last act" Said Hope, as he disappeared.

 _Hope reappears in Beacon's vault, next to Amber's life support machine. Hope rips the cover off of the machine, and takes the arrow out of her chest. Hope then puts his hands over the wound, and sends the Maiden Powers back into Amber._

"Come on, Amber. You're ok. You can do it..." Said Hope.

 _Amber's wounds started healing themselves, as Hope fainted._


	39. Vol 3 to 4: Loseing Connection

_"_ A _ugh... Where am I?" Asked Hope._

Hope stood up, and looked around. He was standing on a platform, surrounded by houses with no doors, and windows made out of various _m_ aterials.

 _"Why? Why am I here? Is this hell? Why'd I ask hell first?" Said Hope_ , as he tried teleporting to one of the houses, but failed. _"Why can't I teleport? Hello!? Is anyone here!?" Asked Hope._

Suddenly, the platform Hope was standing on started moving forward, _b_ efore stopping in front of a tower.

 _"Tower of Babal? Floor one, featuring Kill Sats, D_ e _ath Rays and Jagërmister" Said Hope_ , as Hope walked inside through the tower's doors, for the inside to be rows and rows of beds. _"What the heck? My hell is taking a nap? Really? Where's floor two, featuring Magic, Technology and Psycho Laser Dogs?" Asked Hope_ , as Hope walked through the rows of beds, as piles of snow started appearing behind him.

Suddenly, Hope turned a _r_ ound, as the snow turned into one gigantic pile. The snow pile then started turning into a gigantic 8 legged dog, with a hole through its head, where it's face would be.

 _"Well. That's a bit squicky. I mean, I want a pet, but I don't want to be shown that much attention" Said Hope._

A dog witch a rocket booster then came out of the snow dogs head hole.

 _"Well, I guess you're a nice doge then" Said Hope_ , with the dog barking back at him.

Suddenly, the dog's booster turned on, and it rocketed towards Hope, witch Hope narrowly dodged.

 _"What the hell? That dog not only has a booster up it's butt, but it hates me?" Said Hope_ , as he pointed one of its hook swords at the dog. _"Well, little dog... wait. I got it" Said Hope._

Hope ran up to the giant dog, and started cutting through its legs. The giant snow dog then dissolved into a puddle of water. An open elevator then appeared in front of Hope. Hope then walked into the elevator, witch then went down.

 _"Nice elevator music. Ode to Joy. So classic. Now, I should probably think about where I am. I'm in an elevator. I just fought a snow dog. I'm alive... probably" Said Hope_ , as he exited the elevator, with the floor looking like a wasteland. _"Hello? Hello? Anyone here? Why am I the only one here?" Asked Hope_ , as he walked through the wasteland. A few minutes later, he approached a bar, witch he entered. "Hello partner. What will you have?" Asked the Barmaid. _"Hum... what should I have... the water looks like someone took a shit in it... lemonade? Where'd they get the lemon!? A margarita!? I'm too young for that! Milk? Same question as lemonade, no cows. Nuka?... WAY TOO MUCH SHUGER. AID-TM... Contains 0.5 kilograms gunpowder. No. Fresh Water? That's a lie. Phisswasher? Sounds gross. Pisswasher? Even grosser..." Thought Hope._ "You gonna pick something?" Asked the Barmaid. _"... You?" Asked Hope._ "Buddy... That's just asking for trouble" Said the Barmaid.

The Barmaid, as well as three other people in the bar, activated there duel disks, as Hope activated his own duel disk.

 _"Ok... Here's the deal. If I win, you, Madama Barkeeper, tell me everything I know" Said Hope._ "Fine by me. As long if you like 1 V 4. 16,000 v 4,000. And we will go first" Said the Barmaid. _"Duel" Said Hope._

Turn 1: Barmaid

Barmaid draws. Barmaid activities "Dark Magic Curtain", paying half her life points (Barmaid LP: 2000) to special summon "Dark Magician" (2500/ 2100) in attack mode. Barmaid activates "Payment to Dead". Whenever a player pays life points, they can select another player, and they take damage equal to half of the amount of life points payed. Barmaid sets one card and ends her turn.

Turn 2: Duelist 1

Duelist 1 draws. Duelist 1 activates "All Summon", special summoning three "RaidRaptor - Vanishing Lanius" (1300/ 1600). Duelist 1 overlays all three "RaidRaptor - Vanishing Lanius" to special summon "Raidraptor - Rise Falcon" (100/ 2000) in defence mode. Duelist 1 activates "Rank Up Magic- Astral Force", Rank Up XYZ Changing "Raidraptor - Rise Falcon" into "Raidraptor - Revolution Falcon" (2000/ 3000). Duelist 1 ends his turn.

Turn 3: Duelist 2

Duelist 2 draws. Duelist 2 places "Bandit Shield" in his left pendulum zone (Scale: 5). The pendulum effect of "Bandit Shield" activates, making Duelist 2 pay 3000 life points, witch he does (Duelist 2 LP: 1000). "Payment to Dead" activates, and Duelist 2 targets Hope (Hope LP: 2500). Duelist 2 ends his turn.

Turn 4: Duelist 3

Duelist 3 draws. Duelist 3 activates "Phantom Summon", allowing her to summon two "Phantom Knights" from her hand by paying 1000 life points (D3 LP: 3000), witch also activates "Payment to Dead", witch she targets Hope for (Hope LP: 2000). She special summons two copies of "The Phantom Knight of Fragile Armour" (1000/ 2000). Duelist 3 overlays the two copies of "The Phantom Knights of Fragile Armour" to XYZ Summon "Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon" (2500/ 2000). Duelist 3 activates the effect of "Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon", detaching all of it's overlay units and targeting one monster on the field, to half it's attack points and adding the other half to "Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon". She targets "Raidraptor- Revolution Falcon" (1000/ 3000) (3500/ 2000). Duelist 3 ends her turn.

Turn 5: Hope

Hope draw _s_. Hope activates "Fortune Favours the Br _a_ ve". Now, during Hope's turn, monsters cannot be destroyed by card effects, any monster attacked have there effects negated, and for every monster he destroys by battle, he can draw cards equal to the monster he destroys level or rank, and special summon any monster/s he draws. Hope normal summons "Lion Queen Spearswoman" (1900/ 1200) , but Barmaid acti _v_ ates "Bottomless Trap Hole", but Hope activates the effect of the "Ph _e_ onixian Traviler" in his hand, negating and adding "Bottomless Trap Hole" to Hope's hand and special summoning itself (3000/ 2500). The effect of the "Chimeraic Warrior" (3000/ 1250) in Hope's hand activates, special summoning itself. Hope activates the second effect of "Chimeraic Warrior", changing its own level and "Phenoixian Traveiler" level to 12. Hope overlays his two level 12 monsters to XYZ summon "Blazing Chimeric Lor _d_ , Empe" (5000/ 5000). Hope activates "Master Mistress Fusion". Until the end of the turn, whenever Hope can fusion summon a "Master" or "Mistress" fusion monster, he can by sending the materials in his monster zone to the graveyard. Hope activates the last effect of "Blazing Chimeric Lord, Empe", detaching both overlay units and paying half of his life points (Hope LP: 1000) to destroy all of Barmaid, Duelist 1, Duelist 2 and Duelist 3's monsters, witch "Fortune Favours the Brave" negates, and allowing "Blazing Chimeric Lord, Empe" to attack twice this turn. This also activates "Payment to Dead", witch Hope targets Barmaid with (Barmaid LP: 1500). "Blazing Chimeric Lord, Empe" attacks "Raidraptor - Revolution Falcon".

The effect of "Fortune Favours the Brave" activates, so Hope draws 6 cards, and special summons "Adventurous Archer" (1800/ 1600), "Chimeraic Warrior" and "Pheonixian Traviler". "Master Mistress Fusion" activates, so Hope fuses "Adventurous Archer" and "Chimeraic Warrior" to fusion summon "Hunter Mistress, Emra" (2800/ 2350), and Hope fuses "Lion Queen Spearswoman" with "Pheonixian Traviler" to fusion summon "Ascended Master, Pyrpe" (4000/ 2300). "Blazing Chimeric Lord, Empe" attacks "Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon" (D3 LP: 1500). The effect of "Fortune Favours the Brave" activates, so Hope draws 4 cards, and special summons "Spear Huntress" (1500/ 800) and "Chimeraic Warrior". "Master Mistress Fusion" activates, so Hope fuses "Spear Huntress" and "Chimeraic Warrior" to fusion summon "Spear Mistress, Faiy" (3300/ 3000). "Ascended Master, Pyrpe" attacks "Dark Magician" (Barmaid LP: 500). The effect of "Fortune Favours the Brave" activates, so Hope draws 7 cards, and special summons "The One Fusior" (0/ 0). The effect of "The One Fusior" activates, tributing itself to special summon a Fusion monsters from his extra deck witch its effects negated. Hope special summons "Saviour Queen, H-Lightning" (3800/ 2300). "Hunter Mistress, Faiy" attacks Duelist 2 (D2 LP: 0). "Saviour Queen, H-Lightning" attacks Duelist 3 (D3 LP: 0). "Hunter Mistress, Emra" attacks Barmaid (Barmaid LP: 0). Hope activates "La'strange Reverb", witch deals 1000 damage to Duelist 1 for every card sent to the graveyard this turn (D1 LP: 0). Hope wins.

Hope then helped the Barmaid up. _"Now. Tell me where I am" Said Hope._ "You're in your mind" Said the Barmaid, as everything turned into little particles, except Hope. The particles then transformed into Hope, and the room around them transformed into The Seal of Orichalcos. _"Well then. I guess you're the side of me that's evil. And I represent the good side. Whoever wins gains control?" Asked Hope._ "Duel" Said Hope.

Turn 1: _Hope_

Hope draws. Hope activates "Over Fusion", sending his hand to the graveyard to fusion summon as many monsters as he can. Hope fuses "Pheonixian Traviler" and "Ninja Cat Lady" to fusion summon "Ninja Cat Master, Hoke" (2700/ 1600). Hope fuses "Chimeraic Warrior" and "Lightning Wing- Second Shadow" to summon "Lightning Misstress- Emven" (3000/ 2450). Hope ends his turn.

Turn 2: Hope

Hope draws. Hope special summons "Ω Magicaian" (3000/ 0) from his hand since he controls no cards. The effect of "Ω Magician" activates, making Hope draw 2 cards. Hope activates "Polymerisation", fusing "Ω Magician", "α Gunner", "β Tutor", "Σ Assassin" and "φ Wyfang" to fusion summon "βαlder, Ω Lord of All" (4000/ 4000). The first effect of "βαlder, Ω Fusion Lord of All" activates, destroying all other fusion monsters on the field, but Hope takes no battle damage this turn from fusion monsters. Hope activates "De-Fusion", defusing "βαlder, Ω Lord of All"' and special summoning "Ω Magician", "α Gunner" (200/ 300), "β Tutor" (0/ 0), "Σ Assassin" (1600/ 1000) and "φ Wyfang" (2400/ 0). Hope tunes the level 2 "β Tutor" with the level 1 "α Gunner" and the level 4 "Σ Assassin" to synchro summon "β/α Sigma King of the Void" (2600/ 300). Hope overlays his two level 7 monster to XYZ summon "φ the Ω Magic Wyfang" (3400/ 0). "β/α Sigma King of the Void" attacks Hope directly. (Hope LP: 1400). "φ the Ω Magic Wyfang" attacks Hope directly. (Hope LP: 0). Hope wins.

 _"So... you leave in my place? I'm now gonna be stuck here, while you take over my body?" Asked_ Hope _._ "No. Because this is my body. Your the one who invaded my body. I'm assuming your an excess of the Maiden Powers. Don't worry. Termination is immanent" Said Hope, as he walked towards the Maiden Powers, witch blasted him with fire, but Hope continued walking onwards, with a sword in his hand. Hope then stabbed the Maiden Powers, witch then dissipated. "Anima est aliquid de celare non possum" Said Hope, as he went through a door.

A red aura surrounded Hope, as Winter watched on.


	40. Vol 4: Let's Just Live

_Hope sits up, clutching his head._

"You're up. Finally" Said Winter. "Really, that's nice. I appreciate your candor. Candor? I'm a nerd" Said Hope. "How do you feel?" Asked Winter. "I feel great. Now, if you don't mind" Said Hope, as he left the room. "Wait! ... oh boy..." Said Winter.

 _Hope walked downstairs, as the members of his team, Team JNPR, Team CFVY, Team SSSN, Qrow, Taiyang, Amber, Penny, Ironwood and Ciel were sitting down, talking to each other._

"Hey guys. What's up?" Said Hope. Everyone then looked at Hope. "What? What's wrong? Have I grown a second nose? Is it big? Oh. Haha. I'm not wearing a shirt. I'll just go and change that" Said Hope, as he walked back upstairs and looked for a shirt, eventually setting on a green tube top. "Now, where's my trenchcoat? In fact, where's my shirt. Where am i!?" Asked Hope, as he went downstairs. "Hope?" Asked Yang, nearly crying. "What's wrong, Yang?" Asked Hope, as he went over to Yang and hugged her. "Are you ok?..." Said Ruby, as everyone looked shocked or about to cry. "Yeah. What's wrong with you guys? Come on! We saved Beacon! Amber is ok! Adam is, well, he's very dead. Not coming back to life, squishy flat dead. Same as Roman. And the Grimm of Vale. We not only saved Beacon, but we saved Vale and some surrounding areas. And now, it's me v P in the final match of the Vital Festival" Said Hope. "We thought you were dead" Said Yang. "What?" Asked Hope. "It hasn't been a day. It's been 5 months" Said Yang.

 _Fast forward 6 days later, with Hope and Pyrrha meeting in a partially rebuilt Amity Colosseum, with a full crowd, including all of Hope and Pyrrha's friends._

"And now, it's the final match of the Vital Festival! Who will win!?" Asked Port. "Will it be the Master of Magnetism, the Sister of the Spear, the Queen of the Hunt, Pyrrha Nikos!?" Asked Oobleck, as the crowd cheered. "Or will it be the Dragon Killer, the Playmaker, the King of King, returning from Injury, Hope!?" Asked Port. "Hey! I've changed my name. It's Hope Xiao Rose. And you will remember it" Said Hope. "Ah, sorry. Or will it be the Dragon Killer, the Playmaker, the King of King, returning from Injury, and as savvy as ever, Hope Xiao Rose?!" Asked Port. "Thank you" Said Hope. "Start!" Shouted Oobleck.

 _Hope took his hook swords out of there sheaths and held them up in a defensive stance, as Pyrrha held her spear and shield in a defensive position. Hope then started walking towards Pyrrha. "People wonder if it's easy to fight someone" Narrated Hope, as Hope started running towards Pyrrha, and jumping to deliver a high knee, but Pyrrha blocked it with her shield. Hope then flipped over Pyrrha, and kicked her in the back, knocking her forward. "It is. People compare it to chess and dancing. It's more like hacking something. You gain access..." Narrated Hope, as Hope started striking Pyrrha's shield, as Pyrrha was blocking Hope. Hope suddenly took Pyrrha's Shield and threw it off of the stage they were fighting on._

"Whatcha gonna do now, Pyrrha?" Said Hope, as he went to hit her with both of his Hook Swords, but Pyrrha blocked it with her Spear. "Make the appropriate adjustments to the system..." Narrated Hope, as Hope kicked Pyrrha in the chest, knocking he down, and taking her Spear from her. "And when you think your ready to drop the system, just drop the hack" Narrated Hope, as Hope started attacking Pyrrha. Pyrrha suddenly grabbed Hope's hook swords and disarmed him of one of his hook swords. "Unfortunately, you may run into some unexpected programming. So, you'll need to compensate" Narrated Hope, as Hope pulled a gun out from it's holster, and fired it at Pyrrha, damaging her Aura a little. Hope then continued shooting at Pyrrha, who retrieved and blocked the bullets with her shield. Pyrrha then grabbed Miló, and turned it into its gun mode, and started firing at Hope, who started walking towards her. "And then, when the time is right..." Narrated Hope.

 _Hope then ran towards Pyrrha, and jumped into the air, combining his two guns into a dagger. "... Strike to take down" Narrated Pyrrha, as Hope tried to strike Pyrrha, but Pyrrha dodged, and changed Miló into its sword mode, attacking Hope, before kicking him back. Pyrrha then threw her shield at Hope, before throwing her spear, knocking Hope off the edge of the arena._

"And your winner of the Vital Festival! Pyrrha Nikos!" Declared Port.

 _1 day later, in team HRWBY's dorm_

"So, ah... everything is still being fixed, huh?" Asked Hope, as he walked over to the windows and opened them, causing them to fall of its hinges. "Yeah" Said Ruby. "And, Yang, you had broken arms?" Asked Hope, as he sat on a bed. "Yeah. Some future version of you did it" Said Yang. "Cool. Weiss, your dad is trying to get you back into his clutches?" Asked Hope. "Unfortunately. He wants to keep me out of trouble. I can take care of myself" Said Weiss. "Oh, I know. I pretty sure your tougher then Yang. If not on par. And, Blake. Did you cry for me while I was in that coma?" Asked Hope. "HOW DID YOU-... no" Said Blake. "Well, anyway! Team U.S. RWBY is back at it! Now, the time is 9:02" Said Hope. "9:02!?" Asked Weiss. "Yeah, I heard me sadly. Let's go!" Declared Hope, as he, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang ran out of the room, with Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren running after them shortly afterwards. They eventually made it to Beacon's arena. "Well, it's nice to see you up and running again, Hope" Said Glynda. "Thank you, Mis Goodwitch" Said Hope. "Now, we are doing a class on 2 vs 2 battles. Any volunteers?" Asked Glynda. "Yo. Me and Velvet" Said Coco. "Ok. Another team of two?" Asked Glynda. "Ok. Me and..." Said Hope, as he looked at his team, with Ruby listening to music, Weiss looking at Hope with determination, Blake putting her thumbs up and Yang smiling at Hope. "... Ruby! We're gonna crush you two" Said Hope. "What?" Said Ruby, as she removed her headphones. "It's you and me verses Coco and Velvet" Said Hope. "Oh. Ok" Said Ruby.

 _Some time later_

"Ok. Hope and Ruby VS Coco and Velvet. Start" Said Glynda.

 _Hope puts on the Blay Buckle, and uses it to transform into Kamen Rider Blade._

"Ok. It's showtime" Said Hope, as he took the Blay Buckle off of his side and held it in front of himself. "Ouh, shiny! What is that?" Asked Ruby. "This is the Blay Rouzer. A sword made to not only do what a sword does, but it also holds cards with special powers. Kinda like the Chalice Rouzer, but a sword" Said Hope, as he opened the card holding section of the Blay Rouzer. "Cool" Said Ruby. "Hey! Focus on us!" Shouted Coco, as she shot the ground at Hope and Ruby's feet. "Oh, hah. Sorry" Said Hope. Hope then put the card holding section back into the Blay Rouzer, and ran towards Coco, as Ruby ran towards Velvet.

 _Hope then swung at Coco with the Bley Rouzer, witch she blocked. Coco then tried to kick Hope in the knee, but Hope pushed her arm holding her mini-gun, knocking her over. Hope then ran towards Velvet and Ruby's fight, and used the Thunder Deer and Kick Locust Rouze cards, with Hope jumping into the air. Unfortunately, Coco stood up and shot Hope in the back, causing Hope's transformation to end._

"And your winners, Coco and Velvet" Said Glynda. Hope stood up. "Congratulations" Said Hope, as he offered Coco a handshake. "Same to you" Said Coco, as she accepted the handshake.

 _A montage of the week ensures, with Hope failing most of the things he does compete in, and Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang's growing worry, with the montage ending with Hope studying in the dorm room, late at night._

"Kangaete wakan'nai koto ha, sokkou chikazukou SPACE JOURNEY yaranai riyuu toka sagasazuni" Sung Hope, before Yang turned off his music. "Hey..." Said Yang. "I was enjoying that..." Said Hope. "We need to talk. About you" Said Yang. "Is this about me losing a lot?" Asked Hope. "Yeah" Said Yang. "Say no more. I'll stop losing on purpose" Said Hope. "Wait. What?" Asked Yang. "You-you thought that I was going through some kind of depression? Really? No. Yang, I'm ok. I just want everyone else to be happy" Said Hope, as he stood up and hugged Yang. "Hope. I think people would be happier if you'd stop losing" Said Yang. "I understand. But I know what'll make you happier right now. Let's go get pizza" Said Hope. "Hope! Come on. It's almost midnight. What'd happen if we got caught?" Asked Yang. "Well, darling. We won't" Said Hope, as they disappeared, and reappeared in a pizza shop. "Ah!" Declared the Shop Owner. "Hey, Bruno" Said Hope. "You startled me" Said Bruno. "Like every other time I don't use the front door" Said Hope. "Well, ah... do that next time" Said Bruno. "I'll consider it. Now, one medium pizza with Egg, Bacon, Shredded Ham and Cheese on it, and, ah Yang?" Asked Hope. "One small Vale Special please" Said Yang. "Ok, drinks?" Asked Bruno. "Two Aided Lemons" Said Hope. "Flavours?" Asked Bruno. "Melon" Said Hope. "Special Edition Lemon" Said Yang. "Thank you. That'll be 6400 Lien" Said Bruno. Hope used his credit card on the machine. "Take away?" Asked Bruno. "No" Said Hope. "Ok. Take a seat" Said Bruno. "Alright" Said Hope, as he and Yang took a booth in the corner. "Well. 5 months, huh? What's changed?" Asked Hope. "Well, like you know, there are no Grimm anywhere. My arms are ok. Blake cried a lot. I don't think anyone can find Ozpin. But, well. The White Fang have gone into either hiding or PHENORISE have been rounding them up" Said Yang. "PHENORISE?" Asked Hope. "Yeah. Some sort of a cult. They've been showing up, helping with repairs. There god is Xroae Phosieo" Said Yang. "Xroae Phosieo? That's Fal'ce for Rose Lord of Harmonic Death. And an anagram of my name." Said Hope. "I know. I think it's those White Fang Recruits" Said Yang. "That I saved? Great. I have a cult that worship me" Said Hope. "Well. Not you. Some man that look disturbing like you. Minus a face, plus a sheep like cybernetic mask, some sort of wings that look like they're made of fire. You look badass" Said Yang, as Burno served them their pizza and drink. "Thank you... your pizza has apple on it" Said Hope. "Yeah?" Asked Yang. "You don't put apple on pizza" Said Hope. "I agree. It just have all the things I want on it. Minus the apple of course" Said Yang. "That's what I love about you. You get what you want, no matter what's in the way" Said Hope, as a man in a black cloak walked up to Hope and Yang's booth. "Ah... hi" Said Hope. Suddenly, the man grabbed Hope and Yang by the throat and lifted them up. "Who... are... you?" Asked Hope. "I am General Benaag" Said Benaag. "Benaag?" Asked Hope, before he kicked Benaag's hood off, revealing his face.


	41. Vol 4: DDSH

Last segment, on RWBY Reboot:

"That's what I love about you. You get what you want, no matter what's in the way" Said Hope, as a man in a black cloak walked up to Hope and Yang's booth.

"We thought you were dead" Said Yang. "What?" Asked Hope. "It hasn't been a day. It's been 5 months" Said Yang.

"And your winners, Coco and Velvet" Said Glynda. Hope stood up. "Congratulations" Said Hope, as he offered Coco a handshake. "Same to you" Said Coco, as she accepted the handshake.

"Ah... hi" Said Hope. Suddenly, the man grabbed Hope and Yang by the throat and lifted them up. "Who... are... you?" Asked Hope. "I am General Benaag" Said Benaag. "Benaag?" Asked Hope, before he kicked Benaag's hood off, revealing his face.

And now, for the conclusion of this 2-part madness

"Yes! And now, it's time you died!" Declared Benaag, as he threw them out of the window, causing the people outside to run away in fear. "Well, Yang. Quick exposition. He's a dangerous warrior, his... left hand I believe, can turn into a cannon or a claw. Also super tough. Might be better to run" Said Hope. "Really? You wanna run?" Asked Yang. "No. He might kill someone. But if you do, go ahead" Said Hope. "I hate you" Said Yang. "No you don't" Said Hope, before he put on a DecaDriver. "Henshin" Said Hope, as he transformed into Kamen Rider Decade. Hope then put the Ride Booker into its sword mode, and started fighting Benaag with Yang, with them doing very well. Hope then activated the Slash Ride Card, giving the Ride Booker to Yang, and then activating the Kick Ride Card. Hope and Yang then used a Rider Kick and a Rider Slash respectively, destroying Benaag. "We did it" Said Yang. "Let's go home" Said Hope, as he canceled his transformation.

Ozpin's Office, next morning

"So... Where were you two?" Asked Glynda. "We..." Said Hope. "We were here! At Beacon!..." Declared Yang. "Pizza shop" Said Hope. "What? Why would you tell her?" Asked Yang. "You said it last night. No one was in our dorm. Late night fire drill. Bane of my existence" Said Hope. "And what were you doing?" Asked Glynda. "We ate pizza. Kissed. Drank. Got attacked by one mister General Garrrogi S. Benaag. Lotta fun" Said Hope. "Yeah. Lotta fun" Said Yang. "Anything else?" Asked Hope. "Na, that was it" Said Yang. "Well. You two better take care of each other. Especially you, Yang" Said Glynda. "Huh?" Asked Yang. "Well, you know. Anyway, I expect to see you both in my class in 20 minutes. Last week" Said Glynda. "Ok" Said Hope, before he and Yang went into the elevator, and pressed the down button, and the doors shut. "Hope, you ok?" Asked Yang. "Yeah. I'm ok Yang. Why?" Asked Hope. "She called you weak" Said Yang. "I don't really care Yang. I'm kinda playing that part now. Well, not anymore" Said Hope, as he kissed Yang, as the elevator doors opened, with Ruby, Weiss and Blake outside the doors. "How did it go?" Asked Weiss. "EEEPP!" Exclaimed Ruby, as she hid behind Blake. "It went well. Very well. I see your all dressed for Glynda's class. Let's go" Said Hope, as he left the elevator.

10 minutes later, at Glynda's class

"Wow. We're here early" Said Hope. "Anyone hear those sounds?" Asked Ruby. "Yes. I do" Said Hope. "What's making them?" Asked Ruby. "... Surround the pit. Make sure you can look in, but can't be seen from the inside. Draw weapons" Said Hope. Team HRWBY then snuck down down to the first row seats in the arena. Hope looked over the barrier, to see two figure fighting, with the seemingly armoured figure being beaten by the slimmer figure. "Wow, Pyrrha. Your beating me at every turn" Said Jaune. "Thank you. Your defensive techniques have improved immensely" Said Pyrrha. "They're training together" Said Hope. "Who is it?" Asked Ruby. "Jaune and Pyrrha. It does explain how quickly Jaune has gone from a rookie that couldn't swing a sword to master swordswoman" Said Hope. "Yeah. Jaune's gotten so good" Said Yang. "Wow. Looks like I have an contender" Said Hope. "Please. You think I wanna date Yang while she's with you?" Asked Jaune, causing team HRWBY to look over the barrier, to see Jaune and Pyrrha looking up at them. "Yes! She's awesome and funny and likes the dumb flamingo shorts that you bought one day because you thought they were cool but are more like flamingo vices because it hurts your pelvic region when you where them for more then two hours!" Declared Hope. "Really?" Asked Yang. "I'm sorry" Said Hope. "It's ok" Said Yang, as a ripple effect appeared behind Pyrrha. "What's that?" Asked Jaune. "Don't touch it" Said Hope, as he dropped down into the arena. "What is It?" Asked Ruby. "I don't know" Said Hope, as he stuck his head into the ripple, to see a tomb. "It's a tomb. In the 駄右衛門 ウェっっ" Said Hope, who pulled his head out of the ripple. "The what?" Asked Yang. "Deamon's Well" Said Hope. "Deamon?" Asked Pyrrha. "Deamon. You, ah, you don't have Deamons?" Asked Hope. "No" Said Pyrrha. Suddenly, Serpentina came through the ripple. "Stay back" Said Hope. "Why? What is It?" Asked Jaune, as snakes slithered around the arena. "Where did all these snakes come from?" Asked Weiss. "Don't let them bite..." Said Hope, as snakes bit Jaune and Ruby. Serpentina's then held up her shield, and Jaune and Ruby turned to stone. "NO!" Cried Pyrrha. "They're fine, Pyrrha! Just don't get bit and kick its butt!" Shouted Hope, as he ran towards Serpentina, and tried to kick her shield away, but she blocked with it. Yang, Pyrrha, Weiss and Blake then started shooting at Serpentina, while moving around the snakes. Suddenly, Serpentina grew a large, misty tail, and rushed towards Pyrrha, bashing her with the shield, causing Pyrrha to fall backwards and get bit by a snake, with Serpentina quickly turning her to stone. Weiss then used a Repulse Glyph, bouncing Serpentina into the air, witch Hope and Yang took the opportunity to shoot Serpentina, causing her to fall back on the ground, dazed. "Come on, we need to run" Said Hope. "We can't" Said Weiss. "Why not?" Asked Hope. "We've been bit" Said Blake. "... Keep her away for as long as you can, ok?" Asked Hope. "Can do" Said Weiss. "I'll be back. I'll save you both" Said Hope, before he and Yang ran out of the arena. "So. You and me vs the under evolved King Taiju with a shield and small snake? I'd be insulted if you didn't bet on us" Said Weiss. "Well, at least we won't die. Just turned into stone. As heros. Without Hope, witness or reward" Said Blake. "Was that a pun?" Asked Weiss, as Serpentina shook of her daze.

Meanwhile, with Hope and Yang

"Where are we?" Asked Yang, as Hope and Yang appeared in a dark room. "Welcome to my workshop" Said Hope, as he turned on the lights, revealing a high tech room. "Woah..." Said Yang. "I know. This was once the Valut that Ozpin kept Amber in. I've upgraded it. The most advanced technology I could make and find. Scanning equipment connected to my phone, upgrade perception filters, witch means all this stuff can only be perceived by anyone who shares at least 90% of the same genetic markers as you, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Cinder, Neo, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, myself and Sun, emergency shutdown, a coat rack, gotta love a coat rack, and a computer interface that even a baby can use" Said Hope. "A coat rack?" Asked Yang. "Yeah. Coat rack. Coats are in. You wanna hang up your jacket?" Asked Hope, as he sat down in a chair. Yang then took off her jacket, and placed it on the coat rack, before walking over to Hope and leaning on his chair. "Hum... well, the readings are, so far... wait. This is interesting" Said Hope. "What is It?" Asked Yang. "Well, according to this, Serpentina used... Potential Thermo-Dimensional energy to travel from the Deamon's well to this dimension. Not only that, but Serpentina used it for 6 minutes" Said Hope. "How? Doesn't any sort of Potential Energy change from Potential to either Kinetic or Gravitational energy?" Asked Yang. "Well, yes. But, you know how sometimes when I'm sent flying, and I just shift and I'm not still flying, or even moving?" Asked Hope. "Yes" Said Yang. "Well, that's because the Dimensional Void turns Kinetic Energy into Potential Energy. But... how does Thermal Energy get into the mix? I'm the only person that can potentially use Thermo-Dimensional energy... Computer, cross reference places Hope Xiao Rose has shifted to and from in the past year within Vale with the space-dimension ripple Serpentina appeared from" Said Hope, as all the places Hope shifted appeared on the map of Vale. "Match found" Beeped the computer. "Hope?" Asked Yang. "Well, I'll give you the quick version Yang. I'm making punches in reality, monsters come through, from both ends, I'm assuming, and they replace Vale's Grimm. I'm the problem" Said Hope. "No, Hope. You couldn't of known this would have happened, ok? Ruby, Jaune, Pyrrha, maybe Blake and Weiss, they aren't dead. Just turned to stone. They can be reverted, can't they?" Asked Yang. "Yes. If we kill Serpentina, it will return everyone she turned to stone back to normal" Said Hope. "Then, let's save the day" Said Yang, as she grabbed Hope's arm. "Yes. Let's be heros" Said Hope, as they left Hope's Workshop.

5 minutes later, at Beacon's Arena

Hope and Yang ran into the Arena, to see Blake and Weiss turned to stone by Serpentina. "Well. At least they tried. Serpentina! By order of Etro's Law, you are charged with dimensional tresspass, and assisted-resurrection. Your punishment is death. My punishment is to kick your ass" Said Hope, as he changed into Mystic Force Blue. "Hope?" Asked Yang, as Hope gave her a Birth Driver and two Cell Medels. "Yang. Change into Kamen Rider Birth. I'll monologue" Said Hope, before he stepped forward. "Umm" Said Yang, before she put the Cell Medels into the Birth Driver, witch it immediately spat out, forcing Yang to chase after them. "I'm a Different Dimension Superhero, Serpentina. I will defeat you and defend this dimension from all like you" Said Hope, as he started fighting Serpentina. Yang caught the Cell Medels. "Good job explaining how this works, Hope" Said Yang. "It's a belt, Yang!" Shouted Hope. "Oh..." Said Yang, before she put it on. Yang then put a Cell Medel into the Birth Driver, and twisted the side, transforming into Kamen Rider Birth. "Wow! Here we are! Kamen Rider Yang!" Declared Yang, in an triumphant pose, second before Hope crashed into her, not moving her an inch. "Ok, what now?" Asked Yang. "You... have a gun" Said Hope, weakly. "Ok" Said Yang, as she grabbed the Birth Buster, and shot Serpentina a few times, damaging her. Hope then stood up, and activated Mystic Legend Mode. Hope then activated Spell 2, while Yang activated her Birth Buster Cell Burst, witch both hit Serpentina's Shield, destroying it. "Ok, Yang! Let's finish this!" Declared Hope, as he activated Spell 3. "Ok" Said Yang, as she activated her Birth Driver's Cell Burst. Yang jumped into the air, and preformed a rider kick in the direction of Serpentina, as Hope made giant icicles appear around Yang. Serpentina then turned into a giant snake and tried to slither away, but the icicles trapped Serpentina, and Yang connected, destroying Serpentina in an explosion of Cell Medels. Hope and Yang then canceled there transformations, as Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Janue and Pyrrha returned to normal. "... Huh" Said Pyrrha. "We all need to talk" Said Hope.

5 hours later, in Hope's Workshop

"Ok. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang. I've brought you here because I've found out something important. And we need to deal with it. The monster you fought today was from the Deamon's Well. Now, any monsters from their can only survive in another dimension for 11 months before it will collapse. I'm the only thing that can drag them from the Deamon's Well. If you choose to join me in killing them all, I cannot guarantee you'll all..." Said Hope. "Ok" "Yep" "Sure" "Already helped" Said the rest of team HRWBY. "Aw... Come on, I built it up" Said Hope. "We'll always help you" Said Blake. "Still..." Said Hope. "Hope. We will be ok. Sure, we turned to stone, and could of been killed, but, right now we are ok" Said Ruby. "Well, it's fine now I guess. I'm impressed that you killed all the snakes" Said Hope.

Meanwhile, in the Emerald Forest

A snake slithered through the forest, before turning into Serpentina, as it entered a camp. Suddenly, Serpentina was hit with two arrows, before being destroyed by a women with an parasol in a tornado.


	42. Vol 4: Impact

A crowd had gathered around a table in the library, as Ruby walked in to the library. "Huh..." Said Ruby, as she walked through the crowd. Eventually, she got to the front row, to see Hope and Yang arm wrestling. "Come on Yang. I thought you were stronger then a dragon" Said Hope. "You're not doing any better then me" Said Yang. "Yeah, that's fair. But at least I'm not sitting in a puddle of my own sweat" Said Hope. "You will be" Said Yang. Hope then beat Yang. "Ohhhhhhh..." Said Yang. "It's ok, sweaty, I love you" Said Hope, as he kissed Yang. Hope then stood up, grabbed Ruby and dragged her out of the crowd. "Somethings wrong with Yang" Said Hope. "Are you sure?" Asked Ruby. "I thought that too. She's become extremely competitive" Said Hope. "Like usual" Said Ruby. "Ruby. That was round 100. In two days" Said Hope. "Oh my..." Said Ruby. "Even worse, I don't think she's eating, unless it's competitive" Said Hope. "We should figure out what's wrong with her" Said Ruby. "Yeah. Probably. I mean, you wanna get into a cookie eating contest with her?" Asked Hope. "Contest?" Asked Yang. "No. Not right now" Said Hope. "What do you mean, no contest?" Asked Yang. "I can't right now, ok? I'm busy" Said Hope. "You will give me contest!" Shouted Yang. "... State your name and purpose" Said Hope. "Not until you give me contest!" Shouted Yang. "Not until you give me what I want" Said Hope. "I am Yang Xiao Long, huntress of Vale, now give me contest!" Shouted Yang. "If you were Yang, the only things you'd be competitive in would be being a huntress and love" Said Hope. Suddenly, Yang collapsed, as black markings appeared over Yang's face.

A few minutes later, in the sick bay

"What's wrong with her?" Asked Ruby, as she and Hope stood next to Yang's bed. "Apparently, some sort of mixed posion is in her blood, reducing her to a kinda primal state. She'll be fine" Said Hope. "What about the black markings on her face?" Asked Ruby. "Oh. Just light shining through my hand" Said Hope, moving his hand to remove the markings on Yang's face. "So, what kind of poisons were there?" Asked Ruby. "Well, according to the blood test we just done, it was... Centipede, Gecko, Toad, Scorpion and Cobra. The Five Fingers of Poison" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Ruby. "The Five Fingers of Posion are five Rinshi that gained the animal spirits of five venomous animals. The Centipede Animal Spirit Rinshi is called Rantipede. The Gecko Animal Spirit Rinshi is called Gakko. Toad and Scorpion Rinshi are called Toady and Stingarella respectively. And Cobra Rinshi is called Naja" Said Hope. "Wow..." Said Ruby. "No. Now, we need to find the Five Fingers of Poison, kill them and hopefully, figure out an antidote for all that poison in... 12 hours" Said Hope. "Or else?" Asked Blake, as she and Weiss walked over to them. "Ok, quick story. Yang poisoned, primal state, Centipede, Gecko, Toad, Scorpion, Hebitsukai, Five Fingers of Poison, kill them or Yang's practically gonna be like this for the rest of her life" Said Hope. "What?" Asked Ruby. "Well, the poisons have been making more testosterone and..." Said Hope. "Skip to the explanation of how it'll be permanent" Said Weiss. "Ok. Yang is slowly absorbing the poisons, because of he semibalance. In 11 hours and 57 minutes, it would have absorbed enough poison to cause brain damage. Permanent and she'll potentially have a horrible case of Alzheimers, potential paralysis moments from the legs down and well, horrid sweats. There's also the potential that Yang could die" Said Hope. "We should find those Five Fingers of Poison" Said Weiss. "Yeah. They could be hiding in plain sight. I'll check up with all the Scorpion Fanus. One of them might be Stingarella" Said Hope. "I'll check out Yang's favourite bar" Said Blake. "Me and Weiss will check out the swampy region. Maybe Toady will be there" Said Ruby. "No, Toady will be next to Stingarella. You two help Blake" Said Hope. "But we should split up..." Said Ruby. "No, Ruby, you, Weiss and Blake will check out wherever you think a Finger is. I'll check out the Scorpion Fanus" Said Hope, as he left. "... Hope seems..." Said Weiss. "Unhappy" Said Ruby. "Peeved" Said Blake. "Yep" Said Ruby.

3 hours later, 8 hours 57 minutes left, in Glynda's office.

"Hello. You are all the scorpion faunas in both Beacon and Vale. A total of 5, apparently the rarest of fanus, and all five of you are friends. And number 6, a tourist from Vacuo. And... A pet toad. Now, all I need from all six of you is a sample from your stingers. I want your poison. If your poison matches the poison found in my girlfriend, I'll know your true name and form, and I'll kill you, and you'll be in a lot of trouble with the rest of the fingers" Said Hope. "What are you talking about?" Asked the tourist. "I'm pretty sure I just told you what I ment. So, offer up your poison" Said Hope. Suddenly, one of the scorpion fanus tried to sting Hope, but Hope impailed her stinger on one of his Hookblades. "Now, now. That was rude. I'll assume I'm talking to Stingarella" Said Hope, as the tourist ran away. "Hum. Gakko, Toady, Naja and Rantipede. The five fingers come to my doorstep. Oh yes, you can't talk, I know. Now, I don't know why you poisoned her, but it is my duty of care to save her. And if it means me having to destroy all five of you, I'll do it. Because I love her" Said Hope.

1 hour later, in the sick bay

Yang sat up. "Ah... what's going on..." Said Yang, as she looked around. "Yang? Are you ok?" Asked Weiss. "I'm... feeling ok. I can't see. What happened to me?" Asked Yang. "You were poisoned by some monsters. Your ok now. I guess Hope, Ruby and Blake took care of..." Said Weiss, as a door opened. "Who's there?" Asked Yang. Suddenly, Weiss was thrown backwards, before someone grabbed Yang, and they left the room, as Hope entered. "Hey!" Shouted Hope, as Hope ran after them. Hope chased them down, until they entered the Emerald Forrest. Suddenly, a cloaked person kicked Hope in the chest, knocking him down. "Ow... who are you?" Asked Hope, as he stood up. "You can chase them no further" Said the person. "Why? You gonna stop me?" Asked Hope. "Till the end, in the glory of Xroae Phosieo" Said the person. "Oh great, a cultist. Lovely nutters you are" Said Hope. "She will make a great sacrifice" Said the PHENORISE member. "She won't be" Said Hope, as Hope knocked out the PHENORISE member with a kick to the ball, and a knee smash to the face. Hope then looked around, and walked towards a cave. "Ok. Bit damp in here. Stones are... warm. Yang put up a fight, now of all times?" Said Hope. Hope then walked deeper into the cave, pulling a gun out of its holster. Soon, Hope walked to a big room, dimly lit by some candles, with a figure in the middle of the room, holding Yang over there shoulder. "Stop right there. Who are you, and what are you doing to my Yang?" Asked Hope, as he pointed his gun at the figure. "Ahhhhhhhh, Hope. So wonderful of you to join me here in this cave. After all, you did kind did leave me to live out of sight, force me into exile, and from a cult that wants me dead for killing there 'martyr'!" Shouted the figure, who took off there hood, revealing it to be Cinder Fall. "Well... 夫" Said Hope.


	43. Vol 4: QueenPawn

"Cinder. What the hell? Where have you been? I've been trying to get it contact with you for so..." Said Hope. "No! You haven't tried at all. You forgot about me. After you fought me during the, as PHENORISE call it, Holy Aasen jul Fe King, everything was after me. Police, Qrow, PHENORISE and Ironwood. Luckily, I found some friends" Said Cinder. "Ohhhhhhh. This is the part where your friends appear and beat me up..." Said Hope, before Neo and Amber knocked him out. "Exactly" Said Cinder, as she stood over Hope.

Some time later

Hope woke up. "Don't get up. I've got a mission for you. You like helping people, so help me" Said Cinder. "... Ok. Where's Yang? Did you kill her? Send her back to Beacon? Tell me, and maybe I'll just agree with your plans" Said Hope. "Your in no place to bargain with me" Said Cinder. "I think i am. You want my help, not the other way around. I'm the only person with the power in this room" Said Hope. "Fine! Yang is with her friends. Now, will you help me?" Asked Cinder. "Help you do what? Sneak into PHENORISE, somehow make you less of public enemy number 1, that generally it?" Asked Hope. "Yes" Said Cinder. "Ok, let's do it" Said Hope.

A few minutes later, outside the cave.

Hope and Cinder exited the cave, as an army of PHENORISE members stood in front of them, all pointing there weopons at them. "Stand down, and come with us quietly! Or we will use lethal force!" Shouted a PHENORISE member. "Think they're talking to you?" Asked Hope. "How did you call them!?" Asked Cinder. "When you're a god, everything comes together one two three" Said Hope, as he jabbed a syringe into Cinder's back. "What did you do?" Asked Cinder. "Made a destraction. Thanks for returning my Yangry Bear to me. Call me when you wish to play again" Said Hope, as he disappeared, and Cinder started breathing fire at the PHENORISE members.

Meanwhile, in the HRWBY dorm

Hope entered his dorm, as Neo and Amber placed an unconscious Yang on her bed. "Ladies. Phase one has been completed. Cinder has been caught. Phase two is next. We need to get me into there base. Any idea where it is?" Asked Hope. "You never noticed the statue?" Asked Neo. "No, I haven't really looked around" Said Hope. "It's a Phoenix-man, standing on top of a glass piller" Said Neo. "Oh, that's my statue!" Declared Hope. "What?" Asked Amber. "Yeah, that's a statue of me. No face though. I got a mask on. Dunno why" Said Hope. "You think that you're their god?" Asked Neo. "If names mean anything, then I'm high on their worship list. Now, I'm assuming that the base is the glass piller?" Asked Hope. "And the statue" Said Neo. "Well, let's go in" Said Hope.

A few hours later, at the Glass Piller of Xroae Phosieo

A guard stood in front of the main door, holding a coiled up chain whip. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow move from the corner of his eye. The guard then went to investigate, chain whip uncoiled and dragging behind him. "Come out of there. I don't want any trouble" Said the guard. Suddenly, Hope dropped down behind him, kicked him in the back of the knee, and put him in a headlock, slowly making him pass out. Hope then layed him down, and changed into his clothes, putting his own clothes in a bag, witch he quickly teleported away. "I'm in" Said Hope, as Amber and Neo appeared in front of him, already in guard uniforms. "... Ok showoffs, and at the same time, how long have you guys been planning this for?" Asked Hope. "3 or so months" Said Neo. "Cool. I made a better plan in 3 days" Said Hope, as he took the chain whip from the unconscious guard. "Let's go meet our lord and saviour" Said Hope, as Amber, Hope and Neo entered a elevator. Hope then pressed the up button, making the elevator doors close and the elevator go up. "So, how big is this thing, floors wise?" Asked Hope. "52 up. 10 down for holding prisoners. 3 down for living quarters. 1 down for genetic experimentation. 2 down for unknown" Said Amber. "52 up. Fourteen down for nothing important. Two down for juicy information. While we have probably been detected already, and I'm assuming that we can't get down to the interesting parts of the Glass Piller, how about we get to... Up 22" Said Hope, as he pressed the emergency stop button, stopping the elevator. "Hope?..." Asked Neo. "Huh. Glass elevator" Said Hope. Hope then disappeared, leaving a large amount of smoke in the elevator, making Amber and Neo cough. Eventually, the smoke cleared as the elevator doors opened, revealing two guards pointing assault rifles at them. "Put your hands up where I can see them" Said one of the guards. Reluctantly, Neo and Amber put there hands up. Suddenly, Hope appeared behind the two guards, and knock them unconscious by banging there head together. "Cinder's on floor -3, apparently. And, as I said, glass elevator. Thankfully, no mirrors needed" Said Hope.

A few minutes later

Hope, Neo and Amber snuck down a hallway, lined with sleeping inmates and a few security cameras, witch were tricked by Neo's semibalace. Eventually, they made it to Cinder's cell, witch Hope tried teleporting into, but somehow remained where he was. "Ok then. Anti me technology. Lovly" Said Hope, as he took a keycard out of his pocket, and slied it through a card lock, opening Cinder's cell. "Took you long enough" Said Cinder. "Keep it down. Neo's making sure we can't be seen. Doesn't mean we can't be heard" Wispered Hope. "Oh trust me" Said a voice, as a group of guards pointed there guns at Hope and Cinder, with a fanus woman standing in the middle of them. "We can see you" Said the Fanus Women. "Vega" Said Hope. "... Wait. This man. This man is the martyr of Holy Aasen jul Fe King! Xroae Phosieo! Praise him! For he is god in man's form!" Declared Vega. "Praise him!" Declared the guards, as Vega and the guards bowed in front of Hope "Uhhhhhhhhhh... Yes! I am your god. And I'm cross! But not very cross. Like, maybe a 2 out of 5 on the cross scale. I harbour no grudge with..." Said Hope. "Jul Ajro" Wispered Cinder. "Duel Arjiro! Oh, sorry, Jul Ajro" Said Hope, making Cinder facepalm. "What shall we do with her, Xroae Phosieo?" Asked Vega. "Put her back where you got her. Give her a home. Put a bomb in her neck. No, actually, no neck bombing. Just... give her a place" Said Hope, before he walked over to Cinder, before he kneeled in front of Cinder, and caressed her cheek, looking her in the eyes. "Give her a place, ok? She's been lost for a very long time. Being a boring puppet for a boring evil. And I'd rather rid the world of evil then there puppets" Said Hope. "Ok. Guards, take her to a house with her friends. I'd like to talk to Xroae Phosieo in my office, alone" Said Vega, before she and Hope entered an elevator, and Cinder, Neo and Amber entered another elevator. "So, Xroae Phosieo, how long have you been walking our earth?" Asked Vega. "... Yearish" Said Hope. "Really?" Asked Vega. "No. Actually. Don't remember. Start of Beacon Year 1, Docks, Infinity, Battle of Beacon... Must be two years" Said Hope. "Only two years!? That's longer then us" Said Vega. "I know. I'm Hope, remember? The train... How'd you survive the train crash?" Asked Hope, as the elevator stopped. "Come on. My office is this way" Said Vega, as she walked down the hallway, with Hope following behind her. Vega opens the door to her office, and both she and Hope entered her office. "Nice place you got here" Said Hope. "Thank you, Hope" Said Vega. "Oh, thank... me, I thought you were gonna keep calling me Xroae Phosieo. Then I would have been a martyr" Said Hope. "Well, Xroae Phosieo, if you wear the face of my dead friend, and use his memories, then I'm more likely to respect that dead man then you" Said Vega. "Oh. Even better" Said Hope. "Why have you returned here, Xroae Phosieo? You died fighting Jul Arjiro" Said Vega. "Well, God food isn't actually very tasty. Wanted a hot dog. Maybe some grapes. I had a girlfriend, needed some... doms" Said Hope. "Heh. That legendary humor. And what do they serve in Alhllava?" Asked Vega. "Sick with cheese. No, refried sick with cheese" Said Hope. "Sounds horrible. No wonder why you'd come back" Said Vega. "Well, that and... I really missed my friends. It's lonely in Alhllava" Said Hope, as a Badger Fanus stuck his head in the door. "Ma'am. We have a security breach on the bottom floor" Said the Badger Fanus. "AYY, Roux!" Declared Hope. "... Hi" Said Roux. "Roux, Xroae Phosieo, Xroae Phosieo, Roux. Although, I guess I know each other. Xroae Phosieo, stay here, I'll be back in a couple minutes" Said Vega. "Hopefully" Said Hope. "Definitely" Said Vega, before she and Roux left the room. "Ok, Plan Wangganp is in play. Step one, Web Assist" Said Hope, as he took a back device out of his pocket, and attached it to a monitor in the office, and then to a tablet he was holding. The screens then started loading, before returning to normal. "Step two, Network Gives Goods" Said Hope, as he connected a USB to the monitor, witch automatically entered a password into the monitor, entering all the files related to PHENORISE. "Three. Attack Network" Said Hope, as he connected a wire to the monitor, and then his tablet, uploading the PHENORISE files to his tablet, as a guard entered the office. "Stop what you're doing!" Shouted the guard. "WHAT!? I'M JUST LOOKING UP PORN!" Shouted Hope. "Oh! Ah... ok sir" Said the guard, as he left. "Four. Claim porn research" Said Hope, as he finished downloading the files. "And, if possible, 5. The WAFFLEO exit" Said Hope, as he threw all the wires and USBs he brang in a bin, lit the bin on fire, picked up his tablet, and disappeared.

Meanwhile, at Beacon

Hope appeared, as Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang were sitting on the lower beds, talking. "Hey Hope" Said Ruby. "Hi. I have inportant PHENORISE information to go through" Said Hope. "What kind of information?" Asked Weiss. "Corporate espionage information. As in, every inportant detail that PHENORISE has. Did you know that the boss of PHENORISE is Vega?" Asked Hope. "Vega? The White Fang girl that you helped and who made the Phoenix Guard?" Asked Blake. "Yes. Her. I don't even know how she got off the train back when I got my mana... hold on. I asked her how. She didn't answer. They told me I went somewhere called Alhllava" Said Hope. "Alhllava. They also call it the land between good and evil" Said Blake. "I know. I have all there files. Hacked into Vega's computers mainframe and put them on my tablet. Twas fun, that" Said Hope. "Hold on. Alhllava? Hope, where did you say you and Emily were for 500 years?" Asked Yang. "Valhalla, why? Oh, oh! Alhllava! It's an anagram! But... Well... Ohhhh... how would they know of it?" Asked Hope. "Could we check the files, see how many things they know of that dimension?" Asked Yang. "Can do" Said Hope, as he sat down and looked through the files, as his team surrounded him. "Gainring Ohtl Nfr is Lightning Farron... Baus Callarid is Caius Ballard... Lauy is Yual... Troe is Etro... there's two in here that hasn't had its name changed. Emily Dual and... Bhunivelze. Holy Aasen jul Fe King" Said Hope. "Yeah. It's what they call the day you fell unconscious for a few months" Said Weiss. "No, it's not. With historical context, it's holy day the burning king fell, in witch you are correct. However, I believe it's a planned date. And an anagram. Hum... e. Holy asnju e ing Fal'ce. Take away Holy. And in Grand. Take away ran. G'd asnju e ing Fal'ce. The great reaccent of the Master God. Well. We are in some great trouble" Said Hope.

At midnight, back at the bottom of the Glass Piller of Xroae Phosieo

Vega stepped out of the elevator, walking towards a small pool of water. She then kneeled in front of the pool, placing her hand in the water. "Bhunivelze. He came today. He told us to get rid of the Akuma Trigger, place her in a house with her friends. I thought that our god was a good man, and he seemed to not even care that the Akuma Trigger took his mortal life. Don't worry, though. You gave me my life, and he will not be able to get in the way of you getting yours" Said Vega, as a Generation 16 Hyper Bot appeared behind her. The Generation 16 Hyper Bot attacked her from behind, puncturing her chest. "Nice shot, Hyper Bot. But, I'm not going to die from something as simple as a punctured heart" Said Vega, before she pulled the Generation 16 Hyper Bot towards her, and then stabbed through it with her longsword, destroying the Generation 16 Hyper Bot.


	44. Vol 4: Love to Lust and Back Again

Hope and Yang punched Barbed Wire Org, in Kamen Rider W's CycloneJoker, knocking him into a sign post. It had been three days since Hope infiltrated the PHENORISE cult/organization. "Hope..." Said Yang. "Yang? Are you ok? You sound nervous" Said Hope, as they kicked the Barbed Wire Org and stepped on his chest. "I... want you to meet my parents. Both of them" Said Yang. They then backed off of the Barbed Wire Org. "Yang. You do know that both of your parents aren't exactly... together. Or even living together" Said Hope, as they replaced the Cyclone Gaia Memory with the Luna Gaia Memory to become Kamen Rider W LunaJoker, wrapping one of there arms around the running Barbed Wire Org. "I know they don't. I called Dad, and mailed Raven" Said Yang, as they placed the Joker Gaia Memory into the Maximum Drive slot, and activated the Maximum Drive. "I'm into it" Said Hope. "Good. Meet us at Serata Romantica at 6:00 PM tonight" Said Yang. "Wow. You couldn't wait to spring this on me till today, huh? Also, why not Da Fillen Crev?" Asked Hope. "Well, that's the fun food and hotel spot. And I don't really expect this to be fun" Said Yang. The two W halfs then split, and punched the Barbed Wire Org, recombining as the Barbed Wire Org died. Hope and Yang then canceled their transformation. "Ok. It's 11 now. We should go get ready?" Asked Hope. "I need to go to the bus station or something. To pick up Raven" Said Yang, as she got on her motercycle and drove away. "Well. I'm going to need some things" Said Hope. Hope then disappeared, as a hooded figure picked up some barbed wire, left over from the battle.

Meanwhile, at Beacon Academy

Hope appeared. "Hey Hope" Said Ruby, as she sat up from her bed. "Hey Rubes" Said Hope, as he looked through the drawers in the room. "What are you looking for?" Asked Ruby. "I'm looking for my good trenchcoat. You know? Black with silver lining. I'm going to meet Yang's mom and dad. Who is also your aunt and dad. Jeezs. Your family is weird" Said Hope. "Heeeeeey. We are not weird. Just... estranged, divorced and two half sisters" Said Ruby. "Ahhhhhhhh. Hey, I found it. Covered in... cups of all sizes" Said Hope, as some of the cups spilled out of the drawers and onto the floor. "Your gonna have to pick all of those up" Said Weiss, as she looked up from her scroll. "Hello Weiss. Thanks for the continued support" Said Hope. "You'll need it. I heard that Yang's mom lives off the grid. She might be a wild women, or partially insane" Said Weiss. "Cool. She sounds like my type of lass" Said Hope, as he put on his good trenchcoat. "Yang also doesn't think you are putting out enough" Said Blake. "Oh, thanks! That's... What?" Asked Hope. "You're not putting out enough" Said Blake, getting off of her bed and walking towards Hope. "How do you mean?" Asked Hope. "You are unbelievably dumb when it comes to lust, aren't you?" Asked Blake. "Oooooohhhhhhhh, I get it. And still, what?" Asked Hope. "Don't you notice?" Asked Weiss. "I have an idea about that" Said Hope. "Is it a good idea?" Asked Blake. "Not very" Said Hope, as he pulled a small caldron out of a drawer. "Is that a cauldron?" Asked Ruby. "Yes. I took up potion making for about 3 years" Said Hope. "You are not making a love potion for Yang" Said Blake. "I'm not. I'm making a love potion for myself to love Yang enough to put out more. That came out weird" Said Hope. "We get what you ment" Said Blake. "Ok, I need... three rose petals, my sweat, an ice cube, Yang's sock, 200 milligrams of... Neon Peroxide, glass, urine... doesn't say who's so... who wants to and I'm alone" Said Hope, as he looked up from his potion making book. Hope then exited his dorm, and went off to collect his potion items.

One collection montage later

Hope appeared with all of his ingredients, before he sat at his cauldron. "Ok. Step 1. Pour urine, sweat and ice cube into cauldron and stir for 6 seconds while chanting till death do us part. Oh god, that's mushy" Said Hope. Hope then poured the urine, sweat and ice cube into the cauldron, and started stirring. "Till death do us part, till death do us part, till death do us part" Said Hope, before he stopped stirring. "Step 2. Scatter glass around cauldron and place sock on top of glass. Ok... done. Step 3. In a glass, mix Neon Peroxide, Co2CO and three rose petals into a fine power" Said Hope. "Whatcha doing?" Asked Nora. "Ah!" Shouted Hope. "Hey. No need to be scared. It's just Nora. Unless you're up to no good" Said Nora. "I'm making a love potion to use on myself, because Yang apparently doesn't love me as much as I thought" Said Hope. "Hope, using a love potion on Yang isn't a good idea" Said Nora. "The love potion is for me. After all, Yang's not the problem. I am" Said Hope, as he started mixing the Neon Peroxide, Co2CO and rose petals. "Hope..." Said Nora. "Please Nora. You know I'm right. Oh, shoot. I forgot the blood. Nora, I need to borrow some of your blood." Said Hope. "Um... How much?" Asked Nora. "Just a drop" Said Hope, as he stuck a needle into Nora's thumb. "Now, flick it into the cauldron" Said Hope, as Nora did that. "Ok... Ex cor tuum mihi, et ego hunc concoctio, ut cor nostrum una biberent" Said Hope, as he poured the mixture in the glass into the cauldron. "Hope?" Asked Nora. "Latin. Any good spell is said in Latin. Now, I'm going to need you to stir the cauldron for me" Said Hope, as Nora started stirring. "To the Goddess of Love Aphrodite, my name is Hope Xiao Rose. With thine magic words, I ask that you bless this potion with your magic. Cum duo inter se excitare corda a Deo et unitatis in creare. Afrodíti, evlogíso tin agápi tou I, Hope Xiao Rose kai agapiméni mou, Yang Xiao Long. Sit amor erat" Said Hope, before the glass and sock started floating above the cauldron. Suddenly, the glass and sock turned into a yellow bottle, and the mixture in the cauldron went into the bottle, and turned pink. "It worked!" Declared Hope. Suddenly, the bottle and cauldron exploded, as Hope and Nora were showered in a gold mist, causing Hope and Nora's Aura to flare up and change colours to pink. Hope and Nora then stood up. "Um... that, while not supposed to happen, probably also means that it worked. Oh no! I need to be there in 10 minutes. Thanks for helping, Nora" Said Hope. "You are welcome" Said Nora. Hope then exited his dorm, almost running through Velvet. "Oh! I'm sorry, Velvet" Said Hope, as he helped Velvet get stable footing. "It's ok, Hope... you look hot" Said Velvet, blushing. "Um... thank you" Said Hope, as he disappeared. "I want that boy" Said Velvet, her eyes turning pink.

10 minutes later, at Serata Romantica

Hope stumbled over to a table, and sat down. "Ok, ok. Stay calm. It's gonna be fine. It's just Yang's probable skater boy military dad, and Raven, bandit mom who Yang's only seen for the first week of her life that Yang doesn't remember. And Velvet found you hot in this, so it may help with the experience. And yet, I think of Velvet as a little sister rather then a kissing target, so..." Thought Hope. "Hi, Hope" Said Yang, as she kissed Hope on the cheek. "Salve! Oh, no, Ciao! Uh, Kon'nichiwa!" Panicked Hope. "That nervous, huh?" Asked Yang, wearing a tight yellow dress. "No, nervous I not. Yep. Very nervous. But, at least my yellow dragon is here, to help me with her family" Said Hope, as he smiled. "They are ordering our food right now, just in case you want to meet them early" Said Yang. "No, I'd rather not. I'd probably go through all known languages and into Deep. And I don't think your parents speak Deep" Said Hope. "Deep, huh? Yes you are" Said Yang as she took a seat next to Hope, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yang? Are you ok?" Asked Hope. "Oh, honey, I'm fine. As long as we do it here" Said Yang. "What? It?" Asked Hope. "Hello, Yang" Said Raven, as she and Taiyang sat down, across the table from Hope and Yang. "Hello, Mom. Have you seen someone so..." Said Yang. "Emo?" Asked Raven. "Hey... this is my good coat" Said Hope. "Whiny then" Said Raven. "Don't talk to him like that" Said Yang. "Yang, you don't need to defend me" Said Hope. "Oh... I'm sorry Hope" Said Yang. "Ah... it's fine?" Said Hope, confused. "So... you tamed my daughter" Said Raven. "I, ah, I guess so" Said Hope. Raven then extended her hand towards Hope. "Congratulations. If my daughter loves you enough to be calm with you, then I guess I'm okay with you" Said Raven. "Same" Said Taiyang. Hope then shook Raven's hand. "Shall we eat?" Asked Yang. "Yes. We should do that" Said Raven.

A good dinner later

"Raven, calm down" Said Taiyang. "No! I will not allow my daughter to steal this hunk of a guy away from me!" Shouted Raven. "Steal? I had him in the first place!" Shouted Yang. "Oh, jeez" Said Hope. "See!? He doesn't like you defending him! He'd prefer me to defend him!" Shouted Raven. Hope then disappeared. "He left because of you!" Shouted Yang, before she left the restaurant, Raven tailing behind her.

Meanwhile, at the HRWBY Dorm

"Ok, I'm back" Said Hope. "How was the date?" Asked Weiss. "It was weird. Raven and Yang seem to both want me. Hard and lovingly. Now, I can excuse Yang. She is my girlfriend, after all. Raven? Not very much. They also practically lived off my every word" Said Hope, before he patted Weiss's head, changing her aura to pink. "Sounds lovely" Said Weiss, as she wrapped her hands around Hope. "Um... Weiss?" Asked Hope. "Senpai..." Said Weiss. "Oh god, never talk to me again" Said Hope, as he disappeared, and then reappeared up on Blake's bed, next to Blake."Hope?" Asked Blake, as she reached out and grabbed Hope's coat. "Yes Blake, I'm here" Said Hope. "I..." Said Blake. "Hey Hope!" Shouted Ruby, as she climbed onto Blake's bed, and hugged Hope. "Ah! Ruby!" Cried out Hope, as Ruby's aura turned pink. "Hello, Hottie" Said Ruby, in a low voice. "Um... Nope" Said Hope, as he lifted Ruby off of himself and left his dorm room. "What is going on with everyone? I touch them, and they suddenly think I'm the hottest guy since Sun!... Oh no! We screwed up the potion! Maybe. But how? We followed the instructions, to the letter. I need to see Nora, hopefully she's ok" Thought Hope, before he entered the JNPR dorm. "Nora? You in here?" Asked Hope. "No... Nora is not here" Said Ren. "Yeah. Nora is not here" Said Jaune. "Ok. Well, um, if you see her, tell her I was here. And... where are your shirts?" Asked Hope. "We do not need shirts in our own dorm room" Said Ren. "Yeah. We don't need shirts in our dorm room" Said Jaune. "Hmmmmm. Jaune?" Asked Hope. "Yes?" Asked Jaune and Ren. "Yep, affected by the spell as well" Said Hope, as Hope walked over to the JNPR bathroom and opened the door, revealing a gagged Nora. "That's our toy" Said Ren and Jaune. "Toy? Calm down, children" Said Hope, as he ungagged Nora. "Hi" Said Nora. "Hi. We screwed up our potion" Said Hope. "Your potion. I got close to those two and the started kissing my feet. It was fun until they gagged me and threw me on the toilet" Said Nora. "Well, if that's the worst of their actions, then we have nothing to worry about" Said Hope. "Look out!" Shouted Nora. Hope then turned around, and caught Jaune and Ren's hands. "Shouldn't even try hitting me from behind" Said Hope, as he put his foot on Nora's shoulder, and they disappeared.

Meanwhile, on the roof of Beacon

Hope and Nora appeared. "Ok. We seem to of screwed up the potion. Now, there's two ways to negate the potions effects. One. We make a counter potion. Or two. We indulge our friends needs" Said Hope. "How do we make the counter potion?" Asked Nora. "We need... Cold Iron, Lemon Peel, 2 Powdered Blood Slates and Venom of the Chimera" Said Hope. "Cold Iron?" Asked Nora. "Iron that kills magic things" Said Hope. "How will I know the difference between Cold Iron and regular iron?" Asked Nora. "Um... The iron would probably be cold? Might glow? Nine pie and chips a day? You may want to get it quickly. If the potion gets to powerful, it'll start to effect us. And if we start doing it, it'll summon Aphrodite's Herald, Lustifia. And then we will be in real big trouble" Said Hope. "How bad?" Asked Nora. "It'll lead to a series of unfortunate events, cumulating to a ninjetic sex party. Well... pip pip. We have some friends to save. You get the Cold Iron and Lemon Peel. I'll get the Venom of the Chimera" Said Hope. "What about the caldron?" Asked Nora. "We won't need it" Said Hope, as he disappeared. "That boy, I swear..." Said Nora, as she looked behind herself, seeing some glowing metal. "Oh! Cold Iron. Perfect timing" Said Nora, as she picked it up. "Prickly little metel. Now... Hope wanted a lemon peel" Said Nora, as she left through a door leading downstairs.

Meanwhile, with Hope near Mountain Glenn

"Hello! Is there a Chimera around here? About 6 feet tall, composed of all matters of previously dead warriors, has a couple of distinctly different talking voices?" Asked Hope. Suddenly, a Chimera jumped towards Hope, landing a few inches away from him. "A boy!" Declared the Chimera's dragon head. "Human... maybe a little bit more then" Said the Chimera's snake head. "What does he want?" Asked the Chimera's Lion head. "I want some venom. About 300 milligrams, all in this beaker with my powdered blood slates" Said Hope. "Why do you think we will give our perfected venom to a man like you?" Asked the Chimera's Heads. "... Oh boy..." Asked Hope. "We will do it, on one condition" Said the Chimera's Heads. "Oh? What condition?" Asked Hope. "Are you sure you want to hear?" Asked the Chimera's Lion Head. "Powerful people like you won't like the conditions we set" Said the Chimera's Snake head. "What's the condition?" Asked Hope. "We will give you the venom you need, but..." Said the Chimera's Lion Head. "... In the next month, you will need to take out PHENORISE, and once you do..." Said the Chimera's Snake Head. "... WE WILL DESTROY ALL OF VALE!" Declared the Chimera's Dragon Head. "And if I choose otherwise?" Asked Hope. "YOU CAN'T! WE HAVE ALL THE POWER IN THIS SITUATION! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE!" Declared the Chimera's Heads. "But, for arguments sake, if I go away now, what happens then?" Asked Hope. "WE STILL INVADE!" Declared the Chimera's Heads. "Huh..." Said Hope.

A few minutes later, with Nora

"Lime... lime... red apple... cheese... nother lime... shirt... snake... pineapple, some variation now... peeler, that'll be helpful... a mother box... baby squirrel... FIIIIISSSSSHHHH!... Opel... fuel... deck of cards... lime... green apple this time... grapes, people like those... joke book... diet soda... soda... finally, a lemon!" Declared Nora, as she looked through a fruit bowl, tossing things aside until she found a peeler and lemon. "Ok, now..." Said Nora. "Nora... come here" Said Ren. "Ep! Ren... it's not you talking" Said Nora. "But it is, Nora. I've always been attracted to you. This spell... it's just helped me with that aspect" Said Ren. "Makes sense. Come here then" Said Nora. "At your command" Said Ren, as he walked towards Nora. "Yeah, I know" Said Nora, before Hope appeared, and disappeared with Nora.

Meanwhile, on the roof of Beacon

Hope and Nora appeared. "Do you have the Peel and Cold Iron?" Asked Hope. "Yes, I do. Are you ok?" Asked Nora, as she gave Hope the Lemon, the peeler and the Cold Iron. "Hopefully. The Chimera wasn't as cooperative as I hoped. Got set on fire. Possibly internally harmed. I'll be fine, however" Said Hope, as Hope put them in the container with the venom and the powdered blood slates. "Um... Hope?" Asked Nora. "Yes, Nora?" Asked Hope, as he set the container into a mixing machine. "I'm missing my shirt" Said Nora. "What do you mean your missing your shirt? You can't just lose the shirt your wearing" Said Hope. "I have. And so have you" Said Nora. "Huh? Oh my god, my shirt! What?... Nora. We are losing time" Said Hope, as he checked to make sure he had a shirt on. "Awwwwwww! Lock at those little muscles. Nice stomach" Said Nora. "Awwww, how voluptuous" Said Hope. "Hey!" Shouted Nora. "Yeah! Sucks, doesn't it, when I notice things about you that you don't want me to notice? Yeah, sucks to be you" Said Hope. "I get it. Sorry" Said Nora. "It's fine. Yes, the mixture is done" Said Hope, as he picked up the mixture from the mixing machine. "Now what?" Asked Nora. Suddenly, all the effected students of Beacon and Raven burst through the door to the roof. "Keep them off me" Said Hope, as he started drawing a glyph on the ground. "Gotcha" Said Nora, as she switched Magnhild to its Grenade Launcher mode. Nora then started combat with the effected by shooting grenades at their feet, blowing all of them back, except Raven and Yang. "You will not prevent us from getting our Hope and giving him out love!" Declared Raven and Yang. "Oh bother..." Said Nora, as she switched Magnhild to its War Hammer mode. Yang started shooting fireballs at Nora, while Raven ran towards Nora, with her katana in her hands. "Yosh! Glyph done. Now... The words to break the curse... Um... I wish I knew the words..." Said Hope, as Nora blocked a sword strike from Raven, but got hit by Yang's Fireballs. "Hope! Please, go faster!" Shouted Nora. "I don't know the words! Fu... wait. Hold one" Said Hope, as he stood in the middle of the Glyph. "Hope, my love! Don't go into that! It could kill you!" Shouted Yang, as she ran towards Hope. "Yeah? Come and get me out" Said Hope. Yang then charged towards Hope. "Anata no tame ni, anata no yubi no hoshi" Said Hope, as Hope grabbed Yang, and dipped her down in the glyph. "Hope...?" Asked Yang, blushing. "Volo liberari ab illa maledictio pervenire omnes effectus ejus" Said Hope, as all of the effected students, Hope and Nora included, lost their pink auras and had their natural auras restored. "Huh? Hope, what happened?" Asked Yang. "Well, I touched you, and then you became a slave to your lust, 'twas a lot of fun, really. Don't worry, you weren't the only one" Said Hope, as he lifted Yang up. "How many?" Asked Yang. "Well..." Said Hope, as he showed Yang the other students. "Ah..." Said Yang.

An few hours later, in the HRWBY dorm

Hope rolled over in his bed, asleep. Hope was dreaming about his meeting with the Chimera.

In Hope's Dream

"We will do it, on one condition" Said the Chimera's Heads. "Oh? What condition?" Asked Hope. "Are you sure you want to hear?" Asked the Chimera's Lion Head. "Powerful people like you won't like the conditions we set" Said the Chimera's Snake head. "What's the condition?" Asked Hope. "We will give you the venom you need, but..." Said the Chimera's Lion Head. "... In the next month, you will need to take out PHENORISE, and once you do..." Said the Chimera's Snake Head. "... WE WILL DESTROY ALL OF VALE!" Declared the Chimera's Dragon Head. "And if I choose otherwise?" Asked Hope. "YOU CAN'T! WE HAVE ALL THE POWER IN THIS SITUATION! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE!" Declared the Chimera's Heads. "But, for arguments sake, if I go away now, what happens then?" Asked Hope. "WE STILL INVADE!" Declared the Chimera's Heads. "Huh... I think no deal!" Declared Hope, as kicked the Chimera in the stomach, with no effect. "This little boy thinks he can defeat us!" Shouted the Chimera's Dragon Head. "Let's show him what we can do!" Declared the Chimera's Lion Head. The Chimera then placed his Dragon Hand on Hope's chest, and fired some fireballs at Hope, sending him flying backwards into a pillar of rocks, knocking them down. "Do you believe you can even harm a Chimera? You are just a huntsman! In training, at that!" Declared the Chimera's heads. Suddenly, the rocks exploded away, with one of the rocks almost hitting Chimera, but they hit it away. Hope, in Wizard Infinity Styles, walked out of the rock pile, holding Axcaliber in Sword Mode. "I'm am the final hope. You can never beat me. The opposite, on the other hand..." Said Hope, before he grabbed the Chimera's Hand, as Chimera was about to hit him. "... well, let's test your luck" Said Hope, as he started slashing Chimera with the Axcaliber, eventually switching to Ax Mode and knocking Chimera onto his back. "No good luck. Bother. I hoped for more of a challenge" Said Hope, as he went to activate the Shining Strike. Suddenly, a massive ball of lightning was fired at Hope, knocking him down. Hope then stood up. "What the hell?" Asked Hope. "You may leave us" Said a voice, before the Chimera stood up and left. A pale women with purple veins and red eyes then started walking towards Hope. "Now, I assume that the light show was yours" Said Hope. "You have one chance to leave. Or you shall die" Said the woman. "And why should I believe that you'll be able to do that? You seem to be in your 80s, corrupted to insanity, and rather evil. You are Cinder's Boss, aren't you?" Asked Hope. "I am. Consider Cinder... the tip of the iceberg. What I am... is the ice itself. I make the iceberg what it is. Cinder and her lackeys are what they are because I will it. My plans were ruined all because of you. So I guess that makes you the fire, the one made to destroy the ice. Well, let's see how hot you truly are" Said the woman, as she took two rifles off of her back, witch transformed into two katanas, witch then combined into a pincer blade weapon. "I call my weapons Voleur de Dieux. What do you call your weapon?" Asked the woman. "I call it Voleur de Baise" Said Hope, as he tried to attack the woman, but she blocked it, as the pincer blades came together, locking Axcaliber in. "Now now. I don't think mine had inappropriate language in it" Said the woman, before she threw lightning balls at Hope, knocking him out of transformation. "How are you so powerful?" Asked Hope. "I'm no so strong. You see, I'm an ancient thing. Fighting a war against some all powerful regenerator who can't even defend himself. He's just a Ryan on His Throne, sending his Maidens and his allies and even his students out to fight his war against the Grimm" Said the women, as she walked towards Hope. "What made you come here?" Asked Hope. "A matter of months ago, you killed all my Grimm. Not a single one exists any more. I can't make anymore, I can't sense anymore. No more Grimm. And I can't pinpoint the moment when you did it, or how you did it. So, if you can tell me within a month, Chimera won't destroy Vale and kill all of your friends" Said the women, as she helped Hope stand up. "Well, before I counteroffer, what's your name?" Asked Hope. "My name is Salem, and there is no counteroffer. Now. Here is your Chimera Venom, put that somewhere safe" Said Salem, as she put the Chimera Venom in Hope's pocket. "What are you...?" Asked Hope. Suddenly, Salem went to attack Hope.

In reality

Hope rolled back over, revealing several scars on his back.

Meanwhile, on the roof of Beacon

The glyph appeared, glowing with a purple hue, as Ozpin walked towards it. "Well then. Hope must of met her" Said Ozpin, as a crow and a raven flew away from the sence.


	45. Vol 4: Hope

"So, Yang? Did you like our date?" Asked Hope. "I loved our date. Nice location, plenty of room, offered up some nice food. How do you like my clothes, by the way?" Asked Yang. "They're pretty terrible" Said Hope. "Oh? Speaking my language now?" Asked Yang. "Yes. I speak a lot of different languages. English, Japanese, Latin, Arabic, Deep, Cat, and Yang. Somedays, I speak with my tounge" Said Hope, as he kissed Yang with his eyes closed. Suddenly, somethings squirted around Hope's mouth. "Yang?..." Said Hope, as he opened his eyes, revealing Yang to be dead at his feet, and blood was covering the lower half of his face. "What? Yang! No..." Said Hope, as he kneeled down and held Yang. "Yang... Who would do this to you?" Asked Hope, as he started crying. "Who do you think would? The month is up, Hope" Said Salem, who stabbed Hope in the back with one half of Voleur de Dieux, witch went through Hope's heart and into Yang's as well, killing Hope. "The couple who fights together, dies together" Said Salem, before she licked the blood off of Voleur de Dieux.

In reality

Hope quickly sits up. Hope was in his dorm, sleeping next to Yang. "Oh... just a nightmare. Hope gets out of Yang's bed, and went to the bathroom, and looks at himself in the mirror. "Ok... scars. Healed. Psyche? Not insane or broken. Bones? Also not broken. Brain? Still fluidicly kept in place. Oh, tomorrow will be nice..." Said Hope, as he went to lay back down next to Yang. "Oh, you're awake. Hope. Wanna do something really quick?" Asked Yang. "Ah... like?" Asked Hope. "The sexy time" Wispered Yang. "Oh... I guess so" Said Hope. Yang then got on top of Hope, as Hope repositioned himself. Suddenly, Yang started choking Hope, with Hope trying to remove Yang's arms from himself. "Yang!... why?" Asked Hope. "I'm not Yang... I'm Salem" Said Yang, as he face and body started moulting away, revealing Salem underneath, as Yang and Cinder came out of the bathroom, both in the same dark purple and white outfit that was similar to Yang's battle outfit, minus the jacket, and started laughing at the scene in front of them. "Salem!?" Shouted Hope. "Shhhhhhhh. Don't talk. It'll kill you quicker. Cinder, Yang. Come here please. He needs some... relief" Said Salem, as she got off of Hope, still choking him. Cinder then layed down next to Hope, before Yang got on top of Hope and snapped his neck, killing him. Hope's body then disappeared, and was replaced with Salem

Hopefully, in reality

Hope opens his eyes. "Oh, thank god. You're up" Said Ruby. "We need to go to class" Said Weiss. "Witch one?" Asked Hope. "Port's class" Said Yang. "Ok. Give me a second" Said Hope. Hope's clothes then changed into his regular outfit. "Let's go" Said Hope, as he stood up. Team HRWBY then left their dorm room. "What are we doing in class today?" Asked Hope. "Well, Port has apparently caught something in the Emerald Forest. Some sort of pa... pata...pataranger" Said Ruby. "Pterodactyl" Said Yang. "Thank you. Pterodactyl monster" Said Ruby. "Oh! That'll be fun" Said Hope. "Hello" Said Pyrrha, as she and the rest of team JNPR started walking next to team HRWBY. "Hi, Pyrrha" Said Hope. "Are you guys exited for the pterodactyl thing?" Asked Ruby. "It should be interesting" Said Jaune. "Could be dangerous" Said Blake. "Danger is my middle name" Said Jaune. "I thought it was vomit boy. Jaune Vomit Boy Arc. Fitting" Said Hope. "Hope..." Said Yang. "Yeah?" Asked Hope. "You ok?" Asked Yang. "Usually am" Said Hope.

A few minutes later, in Beacon's Arena

Teams HRWBY and JNPR took their seats, as Glynda and Port walked into the arena with a cage floating behind them. "I'm pretty sure you have heard about this. Yesterday myself, Glynda, Peach, Bart and new teacher Qrow caught this thing in the Emerald Forest. Due to its powers, Qrow, Peach and Bart have lost their Semibalace and Aura" Said Port. "The second one" Whispered Hope. "Now, would a team like to take this monster of a thing on?" Asked Port. "We'd be happy to" Said Cardin. "Oh! A challenger approaches! Team CRNL vs... The White Fiend!" Declared Port, as team CRNL went to change into their battle outfits and get their weapons. "Anyone order the creamed CRNL?" Asked Hope, as the White Terrorsarus II was let out of its cage. "May we present the first battle of today, Team CRNL vs The White Fiend!" Declared Glyna. "500 lien it takes the bird boys a minute to lose. 1000 for less then a minute" Said Hope, making his team look at him in concern. "Alright, let's do this!" Declared Cardin, as him and his team walked into the centre of the arena. "Fight!" Declared Glynda.

Some time later

"Oh! And team CRNL has lost aura in 45 seconds! A new school record!" Declared Port, as CRNL walked out of the arena, injured but able to walk. "Who will be the next challenger?" Asked Glynda, as she restrained the White Terrorsarurs II with her semblance. "We will be" Said Hope. "Ok, team HRWBY VS The White Fiend will begin shortly" Said Port, as team HRWBY went to the locker room. "Hope?" Asked Blake. "What?" Asked Hope. "Do you think we can do this?" Asked Blake. "Yes" Said Hope. "What's the plan?" Asked Ruby. "Hurt it. Break its legs. Big finish" Said Hope. Hope then put on the IXA Belt. "Hope for the best" Said Hope, as he picked up the IXA Knuckle, and transformed into Kamen Rider IXA. Team HRWBY then walked to the centre of the arena. "Bring on the Terrorsarurs" Said Hope. "Anything we should know about, Hope?" Asked Yang. " Well, he's got super strength, hyper durability, teleportation, he's got extraordinary jumping and leaping abilities, he can size change at will, he can shoot lighting blast and beams from his chest, and he can shoot lighting beams from his hands, power absorbing capabilities via the gem in his chest, claws and a laser blade. Oh, and a partridge in a pear tree" Said Hope. "I don't see a pear tree growing out of him..." Said Ruby. "Well, of course not. He's based off of a dinosaur, like I told you" Said Hope, as Glynda released the White Terrorsarurs. "Get ready" Said Hope. The White Terrorsarurs II began circling around HRWBY. "Do we start shooting?" Asked Ruby. "Wait for it to get closer" Said Hope. "It's circling around. I don't think it wants to get any closer" Said Weiss. "Well, ok. Go fight it" Said Hope. "Hope?" Asked Weiss. Suddenly, White Terrorsarurs II rushed towards team HRWBY, armed with his laser blade, but Hope blocked it with the IXA Caliber. Weiss and Blake then attacked it's chest gem as Ruby started shooting it. Hope then kicked the White Terrorsarurs II back. Blake then revealed the Sengoku Driver from her back pocket, and put it on. Blake then used her Sengoku Driver and a Melon Lockseed to transform into Kamen Rider Zangetsu Melon Arms. Blake then blocked a lightning blast from White Terrorsarurs II with the Melon Defender, before she threw the Melon Defender at the White Terrorsarurs II, witch it dodged, but Hope stabbed in through the chest gem, and kicked it into the side of the arena, making cracks in the side of the arena. The White Terrorsarurs II then shot lightning beams from his hands and chest gem at Team HRWBY, starting up a dust cloud around the arena. "Where... where did he go?" Asked Ruby. The dust cloud then dissipated, revealing Yang on one of Weiss's black glyphs, as she punched the White Terrorsarurs II into the arena, destroying it. "Wow. That was easy" Said Yang.

A few hours later, at the Sky Docks at Beacon

"Hope?" Asked Nora. "Yes?" Asked Hope. "What are we waiting for?" Asked Nora. "Yeah, why are we at the Sky Docks?" Asked Jaune. "Well, we were waiting for someone to jump, now, some people are coming here. School transfer program" Said Hope. "Ok. Then why are we all here?" Asked Yang. "Well, this is mainly a Blake thing, because I believe that yesterday, apart from a bad love spell, was the 20th of February. So, that makes today February 21st. Also known as..." Said Hope, as a shuttle arrived in front of them, and it's door opened. "Happy birthday, Blake" Said Sun, as team SSSN and Penny walked out of the shuttle. "Sun!" Exclaimed Blake, as she hugged him. "Blake has a birthday?" Asked Weiss. "Yes. Everyone has a birthday" Said Yang. "Blake really never talks about herself" Said Hope. "Hello, friend!" Declared Penny. "Ah, hi" Said Pyrrha. "Oh! You're the one who nearly split me into many peices" Said Penny. "It was an accident! I swear!" Shouted Pyrrha. "I'm hoping so" Said Penny. "Right. Now what are we doing?" Asked Ruby. "I'm fine. I love my present" Said Blake. "Well, we are going to a fancy restaurant. All payed by me" Said Hope. "Come along, my present" Said Blake, as she led everyone but Hope and Sun back to the dorm rooms. "I feel objectified and discriminated. Half of that, more then usual" Said Sun. "Ah. Could be worse. You never grew up in Japan" Said Hope, as they went after their friends. Hope and Sun caught up with the rest of the group, who had stopped. "Come on. It can't be much longer, I booked us in for..." Said Hope, as he came to the front of the group, to see Cinder, Blothgaar, Vulturus Maximus and Footzilla. "Oh. Hello, madama. I see you've come out of your cave. And brought backup" Said Hope. "Hello to you as well. I'd like you to meet my new partners. Blothgaar, Master of Luck and Fate thanks to the ChiLi Compass. Vulturus Maximus, Absolute Power Incarnate. And Footzilla. He uses bunion pads and his staff to control the gravity of people" Said Cinder. "Lovly. You have luck, power and padding. Oh, and the easily negateable first invention of mankind. What's your point? We are very busy men and women and android who need to get to dinner in... well, 4 hours" Said Hope. "I just want to talk to you. These three are for your friends" Said Cinder. "Well, let's talk" Said Hope, as he grabbed Cinder, and they disappeared. "Should we fight them?" Asked Weiss. "Well, if Hope's been teaching me anything about monsters... Blothgaar's powers and items are Super Strength, Super Speed, Teleportation, Energy Lasers, Energy Vision, Storm Summoning, Fire Breath, The ChiLi Compass, Claws and his Tail. Vulturus Maximus also has Super Strength and a Chest Laser. Footzilla can Teleport, has Hyper Speed, and owns a Staff that can fires Sonic Waves, and also owns Anti Gravity Bunion Pads, witch his staff can inflict Heel Crushing Gravity Control on his opponent since such pads are stuck to. Oh yeah, and he can shock them with lightning. So, I guess it would be a good idea, yeah. What's the count? 3 teams of 4 plus one, that's one team and a third per monster" Said Yang. "Oh no, don't split me in three!" Shouted Neptune. "You're aving a laugh" Said Scarlet. "I'm pretty sure they would split me up. It would be very easy" Said Penny. "No! No. We aren't splitting any of us up. Team JNPR P as in Penny, take Footzilla. Team PRWBY P as in Pyrrha, we will take Vulturus Maximus. As for team SSSN as in Sun Scarletta Sage Neptune, you get Blothgaar. Let's go!" Declared Yang, before the teams ran towards Cinder's Monsters

Meanwhile, in a coffee shop in Vale

"Do you need my help again? I already broke into a cult HQ for you, and got them off your back. I'm not interested in trading secrets, and I will stop you if you even think about rising to power again, witch you clearly have been, since you've assembled a ragtag group of monsters and people. Amber, Neo, probably Emerald and Murcury, Blothgaar, Vulturus Maximus and Footzilla" Said Hope. "And something called Magic Moustache" Said Cinder. "Oh, right, Magic Moustache. The one thing more pathetic then Footzilla. No powers, one weapon. So why are you here, and what do you want?" Asked Hope. "Did you meet her?" Asked Cinder. "Vega? Yeah, after I freed you" Said Hope. "Not Vega. Salem" Said Cinder. "N... Yes. I met Salem. How do you know?" Asked Hope. "I watched you fight her. I retrieved you after the fight. I'm lucky that Amber managed to make an alternative antidote. I almost did something near unforgivable before I got you to our cave" Said Cinder. "Don't have to brag about it" Said Hope. "Anyway, this army I'm building. It's not to fight you. It's to fight the Chimera, and by extension, Salem" Said Cinder. "Cinder... Why?" Asked Hope. "Because. My last name truly isn't Fall. My real last name is... Kirmizi" "Krimizi? If you don't mind, I'm gonna keep the name as Cinder Fall and not Cinder Krimizi" Said Hope. "That's fine. I adopted the last name Fall because when I was just 5, Salem had made me believe in the powers of the Maidens. Powers so great, so godly that all Salem needed to do was corrupt my mind just a little, and it pushed me into a cliff of evil. And just a few days off of 8 years later, I finally became all consumed with becoming the Fall Maiden, and I made my last name Fall. To cut the last ties with Krimizi, I asked Salem to kill my parents, sister and grandparents on my 15th birthday. At the birthday party, in fact. In total, that was only a quarter of the guests. I killed the friends who came to that birthday during the next year, as a 'project' from Salem. In case you don't get it by now, I wasn't the best of children" Said Cinder. "No, I figured that much. You grew a need to be god complex and a ego" Said Hope. "I figured everything out after you beat me. In that cave, we weren't just hiding from PHENORISE. We're hiding from Salem. Salem tried to kill me, after I lost my Maiden Powers. The only way I'm not dead today is because of Amber. Amber protected me from Salem, and took me and you to her home. Well, cave, but home. She nursed you back to health, and stopped me from killing you many times. Amber made me realise something. The Maiden Powers make you a target. While yes, not many people think of fairy tales as anything more, it's doesn't mean total safety. Being a Maiden will kill you, in the end" Said Cinder. "I figured" Said Hope. "And when I figured out that I would have been a mere pawn for Salem and not an associate or dare I say friend, I went from having a... what did you put so gently? Ah, yes god complex and a ego, to understanding fear, and not inflicting it" Said Cinder. "And that's nice and all, but I know that you, like Ozpin and Goodwitch and Ironwood, cannot be trusted" Said Hope. "Are you scared?" Asked Cinder. "Scared? Of who?" Asked Hope. "Scared of Salem" Said Cinder. "No! No. I'm not scared of Salem. Sure, she beat me once. And it'll stay that way until she dies" Said Hope, as he stood up. Cinder then stood up, and took Hope hands. "Hope. I saw how quickly she defeated you in the form you beat me in. Please, tell me honestly that you aren't scared" Said Cinder. "... I'm scared. I'm even more scared then when Lightning was turned to crystal. I'm more scared then when I snuck into a White Fang Rally. Cinder, I don't know if Salem can be defeated" Said Hope, as Footzilla rocketed past Cinder and Hope, exploding as it stopped flying through the air. Cinder then pushed Hope, before disappearing in a small cyclone of fire. "Hope, we need help with Vulturus Maximus. Wait, who's that..." Said Yang, over a earpiece in Hope's ear. "... Yabei" Said Hope, as he disappeared, and reappeared at the battle between team PRWBY and Vulturus Maximus. "It's the boy again" Said the arriving Chimera's Lion Head. "Shall we finish him?" Asked the Chimera's Serpent Head. "He is scared of Master Salem" Said the Chimera's Dragon Head. "This shall be quick" Said the Chimera. "I'm not scared of you. Ladies. We should transform. Don't want a scratch before a big date" Said Hope, as he put on the OOO Driver. "Well, you have a point their" Said Ruby, as she put on the W Driver, and activated the Cyclone Memory, as Weiss did the same, but activated the Joker Memory. "Nothing can stop me today" Said Blake, as she put on the DecaDriver. "You got that right, Blake" Said Yang, as she put on the Fourze Driver, and Pyrrha put on the Genesis Driver. Hope then put the Lion, Kamakiri and Condor Core Metels into the OOO Driver, Ruby and Weiss placed their Gaia Memories into the W Driver, Blake put the Decade Ride Card into the DecaDriver, Yang activated the four switches on the Fourze Driver and Pyrrha put the Cherry Energy Lockseed on the Genesis Driver. "Hen. Shin" Said Hope, as Hope, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang and Pyrrha started their transformations.

 _"Lion, Kamakiri, Condor!"_

 _"Cyclone, Joker! (Technical guitar to orchestral hit)"_

 _"Kamen Ride: Decade!"_

 _"3, 2, 1! (Techno space music)"_

 _"Soda! Cherry Energy Arms! (Techno beat music)"_

"Ok. Pyrrha, Yang. Let's beat up the headsman. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, have your way with the vulture" Said Hope, as Ruby, Weiss and Pyrrha pushed Vulturus Maximus out of a nearby window, as Hope blinded all of Chimera's heads with the Lion Helmet. Pyrrha and Yang then ran towards Chimera and tried to hit him, but Chimera blocked it with his hands. "How?!" Asked Hope, shocked, before he tried to slash at Chimera with his Kamakiri Swords, but the mouth in the centre of Chimera's chest spat out a fireball, knocking Hope, Pyrrha and Yang down some nearby stairs. "How is it so powerful?" Asked Pyrrha. "It's made out of all the warriors slain by Leinbow. He was a warrior guy. Very nice. Killed a bunch of things" Said Hope. "And? He's blind. He shouldn't even be able to get close to use, let alone beat us like this" Said Yang, as Chimera started walking down the stairs. Yang then stood up, and turned the Ride Booker into its gun mode, shooting at Chimera, causing an smokescreen and explosion from the damage to Chimera and his surroundings. "I think we did it" Said Yang. Chimera then walked out of the smokescreen. "No effect" Said Chimera's Serpent Head. Pyrrha then started shooting at Chimera with the Sonic Arrow, but Chimera reflected the arrows that Pyrrha fired at him, making them hit Pyrrha, Hope and Yang. "I hope you know this when you die, Hope" Said Chimera's Dragon Head. "It took my full strength to put you down" Said Chimera's Lion Head. "And I want you to know this. You needed two more heads" Said Hope, as he quickly transformed into OOO TaJaDor, and fired the Taja Spinner at Chimera, but he dodged the attacks. Suddenly, Hope slashed threw all the heads of Chimera with the Meteljaliber, making it roar in pain. "My noses and ears!" Shouted the Chimera. "Yes. I've taken every sense that you'd need in a fight and, in a way you'd understand, disabled them. You can't see us. You can't hear us. And you can't smell us" Said Hope, as the Chimera's heads fell off of the body. "Thankfully, you aren't dead. I guess" Said Hope. Hope then placed a Taka Core Medal, a Lion Core Medal, a Kutawaga Core Medal, a Sai Core Medal, a Sachi Core Medel, a Ptera Core Medal and a Zo Core Medal. "Taka, Lion, Kutawaga, Sai, Sachi, Ptera, Zo! Giga Scan!" Declared the Taja Spinner, as Hope scanned it with the OOO Scaner. A fireball, glowing Red, Yelow, Green, Bright Grey, Blue and Purple, then started growing out of the front of the Taja Spinner. "Stop" Said a voice. "Or?" Asked Hope, as Salem walked out of the shadows. "I'll finish them all" Said Salem, as Hope's hands started shaking. "I don't believe you" Said Hope. "Your posture says otherwise. I can read humans like a book. You are scared. So scared, you might just be a puddle in their from all the sweat your sweating" Said Salem. "Hope! Are you going to finish him? He's not moving" Said Yang. "Ye... yes! You two, go help the others" Said Hope. "Oh? I don't recall any other monsters in my army? Is there one outside?" Asked Salem. Hope started looking at Salem, his Taja Spinner arm still pointed at Chimera. "Oh? I have your attention now? Well, I bet you like what you see. I'm so much stronger then the blonde, maybe that's why you love her. She's a security blanket with gauntlet and she can't be knocked out. You like powerful women" Said Salem. "No. I love her because she's everything you aren't" Said Hope, before Salem dashed towards him, making Hope step backwards quickly. "You fear me! Oh, finally! I missed this feeling. Now, let's make a deal" Said Salem. "Another one? What do you want?" Asked Hope. "Now now, no need to be so hostile. In a minute, I'm going to start killing all of your friends. Unless you do two things. Tell me you fear me. And not kill my Chimera" Said Salem. "Ok. Salem..." Said Hope, before he inserted three Cell Medals into the Medaljaliber. "What are you doing?" Asked Salem. "... I will admit. I, with every fibre of my body, fear you" Said Hope, as he scanned the Medaljaliber with the OOO Scanner. Hope then fired the Magna Blaze at Salem, before using the OOO Bash on Chimera, destroying both of them in explosions. "Whee" Said Hope. Suddenly, a fireball was shot at Hope, knocking him back.

Meanwhile, on the path to Beacon

Vulturus Maximus exploded, as Pyrrha, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang canceled there transformation. "Wow! You guys were so cool" Said Sun. "We were, weren't we?" Asked Ruby. "I thought overloading the monster with his own attack was an excellent stratagem, Yang. Did Hope teach you it?" Asked Weiss. "No way, Weiss! I came up with it on my own. I call it... overloading the opponent with there own power. OOWTOP for short. Quick thinking for even shorter" Said Yang. "Isn't OOWTOP shorter?" Asked Pyrrha. "Yes. Yes it is" Said Yang. Suddenly, Hope landed behind them, still in OOO Tajador, as Salem floated towards them, and the professors and Ozpin walked towards them. "What's going on?" Asked Blake. "Girls. Step away from her" Said Ozpin. Hope then stood up. "Oh? You're still standing? I thought this form would be weaker then the last one" Said Salem. "I have to stay standing. I am.. no. Ore wa sono tan'ni kibō no tame ni sorera!" Declared Hope as he then took off the OOO Driver, and quickly transformed into Kamen Rider Kabuto. Hope then cast off, knocking Salem over. Hope started shooting at Salem, witch she dodged. Salem then summoned her two halfs of Voleur de Dieux in rifle mode, shooting at Hope, witch he cut through with the Kabuto Kunai Gun. Suddenly, an attack helicopter started shooting at Salem, witch made a cloud of smoke around Salem. "Huh. PHENORISE response time is half a second slower then it said" Said Glynda. "They are still punctual" Said Ozpin. The cloud of smoke then dissipated. "Where is she?" Asked Hope. "Hope!" Shouted a Voice. "Oh, who?" Asked Hope, as the attack helicopter landed, and Vega got out of the cockpit. "Shoot" Said Hope.

A few minutes later, in the HRWBY Dorm

Hope entered, to his team in fancy clothes. "So. How did it go?" Asked Ruby. "Well, I've hopefully made sure they cannot trace a hack to us, Vega and PHENORISE are apparently doing ok, Vega seems to of gotten into a scuffle recently, and they have in fact given Cinder a home" Said Hope, as he put on a bow tie. "Good, Good. And who was that woman?" Asked Yang. "Who?" Asked Hope. "Well, she was pale, about as tall as Glynda, black robe, assault rifles, spoke in a low, sudusing voice and disappeared before our very eyes" Said Yang. "... Her name is Salem. She will kill everyone in Vale if I don't tell her how I preformed genoside on the Grimm. And I would immediately tell her if I knew. But I don't. I don't know how I did it" Said Hope. "Well, then we beat her. Simple" Said Yang. "It's not that easy!" Shouted Hope, stunning everyone. "What do you mean?" Asked Yang. "I... I already tried fighting her. She beat me. In the same form that I beat Cinder with, Infinity Styles. She's invincible. I couldn't even touch her before" Said Hope. "Well, how long?" Asked Yang. "How long? 29 days. One month from yesterday" Said Hope. "Then we train. We train, but for tonight, we party" Said Yang. "Pātī no jikan wa arimasen! Salem is coming!" Shouted Hope. "Tonight is a perfect time for a party. It's Blake's birthday, and Sun came for it. If you don't want to come because of a woman, it should be me preventing you. Not Salem, not Glynda, not even Amber. Me. Now, are you coming or not?" Asked Yang, as Ruby, Weiss and Blake left. "I'm scared, Yang" Said Hope. "I know. We can share my bed, if you'd like that" Said Yang. "Ah... that was a nightmare I had" Said Hope. "Really? Why?" Asked Yang. "Well, it was You, Salem and... basically, you snapped my neck. I'll still share your bed though" Said Hope, before he left with Yang. "The third woman was Cinder, wasn't it?" Asked Yang. "I'm not answering such a question" Said Hope.

Meanwhile, near mountain Glenn

Epoxar, Defoliator, Commandocon, Osiris and Jupitor all walked out of seperate dark portals, towards Salem, before bowing. "Good. My Rune of One allows me to take as many monsters from the Daemon's Well, and make them mine. Hope. You're time is up" Said Salem.


	46. Vol 4: Sticking Puns Needed

Yang tried to hit Hope, but Hope dodged and tried to kick Yang, but she also dodged. "Well? Try and keep up!" Declared Hope. Team HRWBY were in a gym, with Ruby, Weiss and Blake all sitting outside the ring, sitting on the floor tired. Yang then punched Hope in the stomach, knocking him across the ring. "Ow... good job, Yang. That really hurt. Actually, I could really use a bucket" Said Hope, as he stood back up. "I'm sorry, Hope. I didn't mean to break everything in you" Said Yang. "I don't think you're lieing, but it feels like a grand piano just decided to fall on my innards" Said Hope. "That's my sister for you. She's the strongest person I know" Said Ruby. "She's the strongest person you know, huh?" Asked Blake. "Well, I heard about Adam, but he's very much dead" Said Ruby. "And Cinder?" Asked Weiss. "Apparently, willing to be an ally. But yes, this does put Yang in third place in the strongest living person we know overall awards. Fourth for living and dead. First for physical" Said Hope. "Lovely to know I come first eventually. Also, your still alive" Said Yang. "Oh ok, 4th, 5th and first" Said Hope. "What about the maidens?" Asked Weiss. "Stop pushing it" Said Hope, as everyone's phone buzzed. "I'm happy we made a monster warning system" Said Ruby. "A potent warning system at that" Said Hope, before they all ran out of the Gym.

Meanwhile, on Vale's Highway

Epoxor flipped over a car with his weapon, before destroying a robot that tried to stop it. "Hey, glue sniffer!" Shouted Hope, as he, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang walked toward him. "Well, hello there! I hope your prepared for a sticky-" Said Epoxor. "Situation?" Asked Yang. "Today isn't going to be a whole bunch of stickyness jokes is it?" Asked Weiss. "Well, only if it keeps you glued to your seat" Said Hope. "Oh no" Said Weiss. "What's the matter? Got the glu?" Asked Blake. "Ohhhhhh!" Cried Weiss. "Um... Paste-ry?" Asked Ruby. "I don't think that one stuck" Said Epoxor, making everyone laugh, except for Weiss. "No words can be used for this moment in history" Said Weiss, as she transformed into the Quantum Ranger. "Oh, right" Said Hope, as he, Yang, Ruby and Blake transformed into Kamen Rider Duke Lemon Energy Arms, Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms, Kamen Rider Sigard Cherry Energy Arms and Kamen Rider Marika Peach Energy Arms, respectively. Weiss then went to shoot Epoxar with the Quantum Defender, but Epoxar's shoulder turret shot the barrel of the Quantum Defender, sticking glue to the front of the Quantum Defender. "Right. Like that'll work" Said Weiss, before Weiss shot at Epoxar, shooting through the glue on the Quantum Defender and hitting Epoxar with a torrent of shots, knocking him down. "How'd you get through my glue!?" Asked Epoxar, as he stood up. "Well, glue is glue. Speed and heat is all that's needed to break it's bonds. Also, the Quantum Defender is from the 31st century. Although, I don't think I can attack you via fencing" Said Weiss. "That's where we come in!" Declared Hope, as he and Yang ran towards Epoxar and attacked him by slashing him with the Sonic Arrow, before Yang punched him and slashed him into the sky, where Blake and Ruby pelted him with shots from the Sonic Arrow. Suddenly, Epoxor fired an explosive glue shot from his shoulder, knocking everyone back while canceling Hope and Yang's transformation. "Well, I should be back to Salem! I seem to be getting a bit dry!" Declared Epoxar, as he disappeared behind a gluescreen. "No, wait!... My arm feels heavy" Said Hope as he stood up trying to move his arm, but couldn't. "He just disappeared!" Declared Weiss, as she canceled her transformation. "I know. It's like these monsters have zero patience with getting there butts kicked" Said Ruby, as she canceled her transformation. "And that one works with Salem, like Osiris and Jupitor did" Said Blake, as she canceled her transformation. "Um. Where's Yang?" Asked Hope, as he kept trying to lift his arm. Yang then stood up, revealing that Hope's hand was stuck to Yang's face via Epoxor's glue. "... We need to go" Said Hope.

5 minutes later, in Hope's Lab

"Ok. I've run some tests. It's very not good for Yang. My hand covers her mouth and nose, witch means she isn't in the best way for breathing, talking or general face abilities. And as you can see, I have no ability to change that. All Yang has going for her is the fact that she has full control over breathing through her nose, as my hand isn't stuck pinching down on her nose" Said Hope. "Ok. How long does she have?" Asked Weiss. "Oh, you know. 10 minutes, tops. And at worst, seconds" Said Hope. "Well, what should we do?" Asked Blake. "Well, I don't know. My best idea is for you three to quickly take out Epoxor, freeing us from our status of Drinker of Hand and Hand Drink Provider" Said Hope. "That's my sister, Hope!" Shouted Ruby. "I know, Ruby. But I don't know of anything else that will help us. Right now, Yang needs to conserve her breath, so she doesn't pass out or die" Said Hope. "Ok..." Said Ruby. "It's ok, Ruby. I'm just as worried as you are. Now, go and get Epoxor" Said Hope. "Yes" Said Ruby, as she, Weiss and Blake ran off. "Will I be ok?" Wrote Yang, on a peice of paper. "If I can figure out how to get us out of this? Yes. You may lose some hair though" Said Hope.

Meanwhile, in Vale

Epoxor fired glue at random people, sticking them to nearby walls and people. Epoxor then made a ball of glue and cars, before pushing it down the street. Suddenly, PHENORISE members carrying swords, guns, swords and shields and whips dropped out of a helicopter, forming a circle around Epoxor. Vega then jumped out of the helicopter, landing in the circle with Epoxor. "Stop, beast! We are the Pheonix Guard" Said Vega. "The Pheonix Guard, huh? Well, I must be an unwelcome guest!" Declared Epoxor, before he shot glue at Vega, who dodged, sending the glue into one guy to knock him over and stick him to the ground. "Nice power. Glue attacks. And a giant fork to boot" Said Vega. "And what do you have? An army" Said Epoxor, as the Pheonix Guard started shooting at Epoxor, but Epoxor who was unaffected, started shooting his glue at the shooters. Ruby, Weiss and Blake then arrived, with Weiss covering Epoxor in Ice Dust, freezing him. "Get to safety!" Shouted Ruby. "Ruby, it's the Pheonix Guard. They aren't allowed to run" Said Blake. "Really!? Who came up with that rule? Next you'll tell me they are robots" Said Ruby. "Anyways, we need to kill that quick" Said Weiss. "Yeah, before Yang passes out" Said Ruby. "Ruby, Yang will be fine" Said Blake. "I know, but she might pass out" Said Ruby. "No, serously, Ruby. We will save Yang" Said Weiss. "We won't if you two keep telling me she won't pass out! I mean, she is nose deep in Hope's Hand. She could pass out, Hope regularly has smelly hands" Said Ruby. "Oh..." Said Weiss and Blake. "What did you two think I ment?" Asked Ruby. "Nothing" Said Weiss and Blake.

Meanwhile, in Hope's Lab

"Ok, Yang!" Declared Hope, as he and Yang stood in front of a mounted flamethrower, pointed at the glue that was sticking them together. "I trust that you have your Aura turned up to 11! I'm going to push off of your stomach with my foot, and you'll just stay as still as possible, ok?" Asked Hope. Yang then put her thumbs up. "Ok! Three, two one" Said Hope, before he activated the flamethrower, shooting fire at the glue. After a few seconds, Hope and Yang fell backwards as Hope deactivated the flamethrower. "We did it!" Declared Yang. "Good. That could of been a bad talk with Ruby. Like the time I asked her to quit eating cookies" Said Hope. "How'd that go?" Asked Yang. "So many crumbs..." Said Hope. "We need to help Ruby, Weiss and Blake" Said Yang. "Or we could kiss?" Asked Hope. "No, team help" Said Yang. "Kisses?" Asked Hope. "Team help and kisses" Said Yang. "Yes" Said Hope.

A few minutes later, in Vale

Ruby, as Time Force Red, dodged a glue shot from Epoxor, and hid behind a car with Blake as Time Force Green and Weiss as Time Force Pink. "Ok, we've probably got about a minute until Yang runs outta breath" Said Weiss. "I hope Hope's plan has worked and sis is free. Or he's nearly dead" Said Ruby. Weiss then poked her head out of the cover, nearly getting hit with glue before she ducked her head behind the car. "I think he's full of vigor" Said Weiss. "Really!? We shot him with the giant guns a few times! How did it do nothing?" Asked Ruby. "I've no idea" Said Weiss. "It's a bit dumb actually" Said Blake, before Ruby charged at Epoxor with the Time Swords in her hands.

Meanwhile, in Hope's Lab

"Ok, I was busy making this all night long a week ago, as well as three other weapons. I call it the Vulcan Knuckle" Said Hope, as he handed a orange and black knuckle duster weapon to Yang. "Cool, what does it do?" Asked Yang, as she took the Vulcan Knuckle and looked at it. "I made it specifically for you and your semibalace. The front pads are for you to slam the opposite hand into, activating it's ability to absorb your heat and amplify the total output of the heat and strength tenfold" Said Hope, as he handed Yang a small bottle, witch she took. "Of me? And what is this" Asked Yang. "Yes, baby. Of you. And that is a Magma Charge Bottle, designed to place all of the heat into the Vulcan Knuckle. Try not to destroy the things though" Said Hope, as he grabbed Yang's shoulder and they both disappeared.

Meanwhile, in Vale

Hope and Yang appeared, to see Ruby, Blake and Weiss stuck to three different walls. "Yang!" Shouted Ruby. "It's ok, sis. I'm here to help" Said Yang, as Epoxor walked towards them. "I thought I dealt with you two already" Said Epoxor. "You did. We survived. We made out. Or as we call it..." Said Hope. "Pathetic" Said Yang. "And now, we have a perfect counter weapon" Said Hope, as Yang put on the Vulcan Knuckle. "What's that? Orange juice maker?" Asked Epoxor. "No. It's the Vulcan Knuckle. Hope, be an lovely boyfriend and cut down our friends?" Asked Yang. "Well, yeah. That was my plan" Said Hope, as he disappeared, then reappeared on the roof above Weiss. "Hum... Ah ha! Raging Magma! Yang Xiao Long!" Declared Yang, as she started fighting Epoxor. "Please no..." Said Hope, as he freed Weiss from her glue via a laser beam from a laser screwdriver. "Do I get a new weapon?" Asked Weiss, as Hope helped her up to the roof. "Everyone but I got a new weapon" Said Hope, as he handing her a white revolver, with 火, 水, 風, 土 and 天 on the handle. "Myrtenaster already is a revolver, you dolt!" Said Weiss. "Oh. I think you will like what comes out of this one. It's also called the Elementwechsler" Said Hope. "Elementwechsler, huh?" Asked Weiss, as Hope disappeared. Weiss then shot the Elementwechsler at one of Epoxor's Glue Shots, turning it into water witch splashed all over Yang. "Huh. Yang! I won't be out done by you!" Declared Weiss, as she used two glyphs to teleport down to ground level. "Elemental Maestra! Weiss Schnee" Declared Weiss, as she joined the fight. "I've raised monsters..." Said Hope, as he freed Ruby and pulled her up to her roof. "What's my weapon?" Asked Ruby. "No spontaneous self nickname dubbing?" Asked Hope. "Nope" Said Ruby. Hope then gave Ruby a sword, with a crocodile's jaws as the hand guard, and cracks on the handle and blade. "What's it called?" Asked Ruby. "The Crack-Up Slasher. I'm making up names on a dime here" Said Hope. "Crack-Up Slasher? Nice" Said Ruby, before she came down from her roof and slashed at Epoxor, with the crocodile jaws coming down with the last hit. "Wow! This thing is amazing! Dynamic Hunter! Ruby Rose" Said Ruby. "Nice one Ruby" Said Yang. "You aren't going to join them in this, are you?" Asked Hope. "Probably" Said Blake. "Well, at least you didn't lie to me" Said Hope. Hope then gave Blake a katana, with a purple handle and four icons going up the blade. "That is the YonWaza Blade" Said Hope. "Oh. Four Technique" Said Blake, as she got off the roof and attacked Epoxor. Blake then pressed the second button on the blade, then used the YonWaza Blade to throw a fireball at Epoxor. "Ah... Ninja Master? Blake Belladonna" Said Blake. "We'll work on yours" Said Weiss. "It's like you all planned this" Said Hope. "It was going to be a surprise" Said Ruby. "Seemingly" Said Hope. "Shall I finish this?" Asked Yang. "Go ahead" Said Hope. "Ok" Said Yang, as she pushed the Magma Charge Bottle into the Vulcan Knuckle. "BOTTLE BURN!" Declared the Vulcan Knuckle, as a heavy metal loop started. Yang then pressed the Vulcan Knuckle against her other hand. "KNUCKLE BURN! BOTTLE BURN! VULCANIC FINISH! ACHA!" Declared the Vulcan Knuckle, as Yang uppercutted Epoxor, sending him flying and making him explode in the air. "Well, I guess we were too hot to handle" Said Yang. "Volcanic, even" Said Hope. "Should we go now?" Asked Blake. "Well, this does imply something bad" Said Hope, as the camera zoomed out, revealing a bunch of unconscious Phoenix Guard members. "Should we help them first?" Asked Weiss. "No" Said Hope. "Lunch?" Asked Yang. Ruby suddenly jumped on Yang's back and hugged her tightly. "Oh god, this is what it feels like?" Asked Yang, brought down to her knees by Ruby's hug. "Yeah" Said Hope. "Absolutely" Said Blake. "Terrifically" Said Weiss. "Well, I know a place for lunch, if anyone is interested" Said Blake. "We are. We are very interested" Said Hope. Hope, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang then walked away, as Vega walked out of a bush. "Command. Did you get all of that?" Asked Vega. "Yes ma'am" Said Command, through Vega's headset. "Good. Download the information into Project Celmahica" Said Vega.


	47. Vol 4: Cloak With Light (Part 1)

"Well John, this seems to be a shortcut" Said a tall woman wearing a long black dress. "It's an alleyway, Gren. I'm not too sure we should go down there" Said John, in a plain white suit. "It's an alleyway. Don't tell me your afraid of alleyways, Jonathan Malacite Kurenai" Said Gren. "John actually isn't short for Jonathan. Also, yes. I'm terrified of alleyway. It sends shocks of terror down my spinal cord" Said John. "Oh John. You are so funny" Said Gren. "I was serious, actually" Said John. Suddenly, a bright flash went off in there faces.

3 weeks later...

"Hope, why are we here?" Asked Yang, as she, Hope, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and JNPR arrived at a quarantine zone, guarded by PHENORISE Soldiers and barriers. "Yeah, seriously. This isn't all that interesting" Said Ren. "It's a quarantine, Ren. That in plus one of two things. A virus is loose, and that is boring. Or, it's a coverup" Said Hope. "A coverup? What would PHENORISE want to cover up?" Asked Weiss. "Well, I haven't got a clue. I've asked Vega if we could be allowed in, see if we could report back anything. Now, you guys still have those coins I gave you?" Asked Hope. "Yes" Said Ruby, as everyone pulled three coloured coins matching there signature colour. "These are tracking coins. Once placed on even ground, they will magnetise to Remnent's very core, making sure it cannot be moved without something drastic happening. Like pulling Remnent out of... Oum's orbit?" Asked Hope. "That's it's old name, silly. Shawcross is its name" Said Yang. "Sorry. Shawcross's orbit. Can't believe you renamed your sun" Said Hope. "Wasn't our fault" Said Blake. "I know. Anyway. We will all enter in at a different entry point, and at any point, turn left and continue walking three times to get to a exit, dropping a coin each time. And then we go back to the base and find a common location" Said Hope. "That will work?" Asked Jaune. "Yes. I am quite smart, Jaune. If not sometimes mistaken" Said Hope. "How will we split up?" Asked Ruby. "Well, I'll leave that in your hands" Said Hope. "Ok. Me, Hope and Yang will start here. Blake and Ren will start at the back entry point. Weiss and Nora will be at the left entry point, and Jaune and Pyrrha will go in from the right" Said Ruby. "Clever. Well, let's do it then" Said Hope, as everyone left to go to there position.

1 hour later, in Hope's Base

"Ok everyone. How do you all feel?" Asked Hope, sitting in a chair looking down at his team and Team JNPR. "Hope? Hope, what are we doing here?" Asked Weiss. "I brought you here. You were all wammyed by what ever got everyone else over the past few weeks. It was a bad time" Said Hope. "Did you get wammyed?" Asked Ruby. "No. I was fine" Said Hope. "How were we all hit with whatever and you weren't?" Asked Blake. "I was alone. She only seems to go after pairings" Said Hope. "She? How do you know it's a she?" Asked Blake. "Because I lied about the coins. They were cameras, and they say the attacker, from a few angles, enough for me to make an approximation to her appearance. I put it through a database of known people with a record. Only one name came up. Ilia Amitola, member of the White Fang" Said Hope. "Chameleon Fanuas. 23 years old. Part of the revolutionary White Fang, like Adam Tarus" Said Blake. "I assume she was a companion" Said Hope, as he turned around in his chair to face his friends. "No. She wasn't. She wasn't even someone I remotely liked. She was an abuser. She was most of the reason I got out of the White Fang" Said Blake. "I understand. Everyone but Blake, go to whatever class we have. Please explain our absences as well as you can" Said Hope, as everyone but him and Blake left. "Why did you want me to stay?" Asked Blake, as Hope walked over to Blake. "I wanted to show you something" Said Hope. "And what was..." Said Blake, as Hope pushed his hand into her hip, causing her to cry out in pain. Hope then repeated this action on Blake's back, chest, shoulder and stomach. "That's what I wanted to show you. Blake, Illa attacked you, worse then anyone else. And with all these specific areas that Illa attacked, is it true to say that she was more then an abuser?" Asked Hope. "Yes..." Said Blake. "I understand. I'm sorry" Said Hope. "You didn't hurt me" Said Blake. "Well, ah. Anyways. I need your help making something. Light inverseing goggles. Night becomes day, day becomes night..." Said Hope. "Bright, memory erasing flashes become spots of dark" Said Blake. "Big spots of dark. Please use during the night" Said Hope. "Well, why do you need my help building them? I'm sure Ruby has been tinkering and making stuff, why not ask her to stay as well?" Asked Blake. "... Oh, yes. I, should of done that. Well, make with what we have" Said Hope.

Meanwhile, in class

"I hope Blake is ok" Said Weiss, as she, Ruby, Yang, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren exited the classroom. "Yeah. She seemed more hurt then us" Said Ren. "Like Illa really had it out for Blake" Said Jaune. "And why did Hope ask Blake to stay behind?" Asked Yang, making everyone else stop. "You're not jealous of Blake, are you sis?" Asked Ruby. "No. Why would I ever be jealous of Blake?" Asked Yang. "Oh, thank god. It would be weird if..." Said Ruby. "She's just an little cat, scared of her own shadow!" Shouted Yang. "Yang. Are you feeling ok?" Asked Ruby. Suddenly, Yang punched Ruby and Weiss down the hallway. "Feeling fine, Ruby" Said Yang, as she turned around and punched Jaune down the other end of the hallway. "You aren't Yang" Said Ren. "Figure that out finally? I'm Illa, and I'll never touch these clothes again after today" Said Illa, as her body changed into her own. "I didn't think chameleons could even do something like that" Said Pyrrha. "Let's say I've received an upgrade" Said Illa, as she seemingly disappeared.

A few moments later, in Hope's Base

"And that wire goes there, in the green port, and that shall make the machine whole" Said Hope, as Blake connected a wire to the green port in the light inverting goggles, making them come to life with a hum. "Congratulations, you have invented one light inversion device. Set it on minimum for now. We shall use it later. Thank you for your help" Said Hope. "Well, I did help make a few things in the White Fang. Bombs. My weapon. A screwdriver" Said Blake. "A screwdriver?" Asked Hope. "They didn't have screwdrivers in the White Fang" Said Blake. "Why didn't you have any screwdrivers?" Asked Hope. Suddenly, Illa's weapons tip went through Hope's hand, before retracting. Hope and Blake then looked at Illa. "Because we had drills" Said Illa. "Ha ha. Nice joke" Said Hope. "Quiet you. So, Blake. Back on your feet, are you?" Asked Illa. "Yes, I am. And we are going to take you out" Said Blake. "Please. I'm the only person who loves you" Said Illa. "No" Said Hope, as he stood up and held Blake's hand. "Hope?" Asked Blake. "I'm in love with Blake. We have been dating for... what was it doll? 30, 50 days now?" Asked Hope. "Oh. It's been 47 days, handsome" Said Blake. "Thank you kitty. We've been dating for 47 days, oh and it's been so good" Said Hope. "Have you hit her?" Asked Illa. "No" Said Hope. "Groped her at work?" Asked Illa. "We don't have work" Said Hope. "Threatened her? Harmed her? Kissed her while gripping her neck?" Asked Illa. "No, no, yes to the front half of questions three, no to the rest of it" Said Hope. "Then you don't love her like I do" Said Illa. "I know. I love her better then you" Said Hope. "No! I am the only one for Blake. You are an destraction!" Shouted Illa. "Please. You don't love Blake" Said Hope. "Yes I do! I've loved her ever since she was in the White Fang!" Shouted Illa. "You weren't describing love! You were describing hate! Pain, agony, harm, all to someone you 'love'! If that's how you love someone, I can only imagine how you treat those you hate! Is this what living as a Fanus does to the insane? It makes you love with pain? Kiss with inpailment? Make love at drill point? Illa Amitola, there is no love in your heart and you are worse then your oppressers" Said Hope. "Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!" Shouted Illa. Illa then tried to stab Blake with her weapon's whip mode, but Hope grabbed the end of it. "You will fight me. Blake has not been an aggressor to you, but believe me when I say she should be" Said Hope, as he pulled on Illa's weapon, and they both disappeared. "This could go bad..." Said Blake, as she sat down where Hope was sitting.

Meanwhile, at the docks

Hope and Illa appeared, standing on top of two shipping containers. Hope then kicked Illa back, and drew two pistols from their holsters. "And what are those!?" Asked Illa. "Akdal Ghost TR01s, dated 1990. Suppressed. Hi-powered. Modified" Said Hope, as he shot Illa, with fireballs coming out of the barrels of the gun, hitting Illa and setting her on fire, with her aura protecting her. "Those were thermite rounds. That fire will stop burning, trust me" Said Hope, as Hope kicked Illa off of the shipping container. Hope then removed the magazine in his guns, switching them out for different ones. Hope then jumped down from the containers, to discover Illa missing. "Well, I assume you haven't run off. I'm quite shocked that you haven't tried to fight back. You were oh so violent at the academy. What changed?" Asked Hope. "My strategy. You are a lier. A falsification. Blake is the only one that I love" Said Illa. "Like I said before. You don't love. You hurt. And right now, I hurt as well. And I sure don't mean emotionally in the subject of you" Said Hope, as the tip of Illa's weapon wrapped around Hope. "I'll kill you!" Shouted Illa, as she uncloaked and walked towards Hope. "And if you do, please make the body unidentifiable. I don't wanna be known as one of your victims" Said Hope, as he disappeared, reappearing a step back from where he was. Hope then fired both of his guns once, with a little pellet coming out of the barrel of both guns. Hope then pressed a button on the back of his handguns, making a lightning bolt between the two pellets witch hit Illa, sending her flying into a shipping container, knocking her out. Hope then put his two guns into their holsters, and walked towards Illa, grabbed her arm and disappeared.

Meanwhile, in Hope's base

Hope appeared, with Blake, Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren and Jaune waiting for him. "Search her" Said Hope, as he let go of Illa, and started to walk away. "Hope" Said Blake. "Yes?" Asked Hope. "What are you gonna do to her? I saw you fight her. I heard what you said to her" Said Blake. "I guess you all did?" Asked Hope, witch everyone nodded to. "Hope, we don't want you to do anything drastic" Said Ruby. "... I'm going to interrogate her, find out where Yang is. I may have killed Adam, but I'm not gonna kill Illa. Actually, I may. Probably. Definitely. Maybe. Blake, with me" Said Hope, as he and Blake dragged Illa down a hallway.

A few moments later, in an interrogation room

Illa woke up. "Where am I?" Asked Illa. "You're in my house, Illa" Said Blake, as she turned on a light, revealing Illa to be chained to the wall by her arms, and in a room with Hope and Blake. "Blake? He told me that he doesn't love you! You still love me!" Shouted Illa. "Ah, a lie against a lie, whoever will she believe. I love Blake like a friend. I'm not gonna have fun with her like you did" Said Hope. "Hope, shut up" Said Blake. "Ah... Ok" Said Hope. "And Hope, could you wait outside? I'd like some alone time with our prisoner" Said Blake. "No Blake, vengeance isn't the right way" Said Hope. "I'm not going to take vengeance. She isn't worthy of that pain" Said Blake. "Well, ok then. I'll be outside" Said Hope, before her left the room. "You really do love me. You put that brute away" Said Illa. "He's not a brute, he's a... slightly angry man. Old, slightly angry, but not a brute" Said Blake. "I knew you had a small thing for older men. When you weren't making eyes at me, you were making eyes at Adam" Said Illa. "My relationship with Sun would disprove such a statement" Said Blake. "I assume he's a fake boyfriend, like Hope" Said Illa. "My relationship with Hope was an in the spur moment to deliberately screw with you. My relationship with Sun, I can assure you is one hundred percent real, with him and his team, SSSN, even transferring to the same school as me so that he doesn't have to be a continent away from me. On the other hand, my relationship with you was pain, suffering, and a need for an end in anyway possible. And now, I'm revisiting a nightmare. But. If you tell me where Yang is... let's say I'll give you some... release" Said Blake. "You'll sleep with me?" Asked Illa. "Yep" Said Blake. "I kidnapped Yang for PHENORISE. Their leader, Vega? She said something about a project. Project... Celmahica, witch was phase one and two of Operation: God Killer" Said Illa. "Chameliac. Chameliac? What is Operation God Killer?" Asked Blake. "From all I was informed, they plan to kill the 'Vassel of the god, Xroae Phosieo' and that will allow the God Master, Bhunivelze, to imbue Vega with his power" Said Illa. "Thanks for the information. Now, this Belladonna send her regards" Said Blake. "What?" Asked Illa, before Blake punched her in the face.

Meanwhile, outside the room

"Well... She hasn't punched her yet. I suppose that's a good thing. Maybe. Sorta" Said Hope, sitting on the ground outside of the room. A Pheonix Guard then walked around the corner, and froze. "Um... Hello? How did you get down here?" Asked Hope, to no reply. "Excuse me, sir? It's nice to respond to people when they talk to you" Said Hope, as he stood up. "GARUDA SQUADRON 3-2, THIS IS ALTER LEADER! PULL OUT, I REPEAT, PULL OUT!" Shouted Alter Leader. "I'm sorry, I scared you? I'm not even holding a weapon" Said Hope. "Alter Leader, what's wrong?" Asked a voice over Alter Leader's Radio. "VASSAL Ω IS HERE, REPEAT, VASSEL Ω IS HERE!" Shouted Alter Leader. "OH CRAP! ALL SQUADS, DEPART FROM STRIKE TARGET Δ!" Declared a voice over Alter Leader's Radio. "I think not" Said Hope, before he quickly took off Alter Leader's helmet and smashed his head into a wall, knocking him out. Hope then ran out of the interrogation wing, and into the main room, to see a handful of Pheonix Guards quickly dragging an unconscious team JNPR into holes in the walls. "Let them go!" Shouted Hope, as he shot into the crowd, once again hitting buttons on the back of his guns, making light explode out of his bullets, blinding the Pheonix Guard. Hope then kicked one in the back of the knee and then curbstomping his head into the ground cracking his helmet, before pushing the man helping him carrying Ren into a wall causing that man to slide down said wall and Hope ran into him hitting him with his knee knocking him out, before taking the two holding up Pyrrha out with a hurincanrana/bulldog combination. "Reajust for the extra light!" Shouted one of the Pheonix Guard members holding up Jaune, before she was taken out by Hope smashing her arm with her weapon and then her chin. The other three then did as the woman said, before turning around to fire at Hope, who disappeared, reappearing behind a piller. "Hope Blake has the information we needed out of Illa" Said Hope, as he switched the magazines in his guns, and stepped out from behind his piller, to see Blake standing over three unconscious Pheonix Guards. "I assume you got all your anger out anyways?" Asked Hope. "Let's just say that this is the best present I've gotten in a while" Said Blake. "They've taken Ruby and Weiss" Said Hope. "I see" Said Blake. "Let's see where that hole goes" Said Hope, as he walked towards the hole in the wall, with Blake following Hope. Blake and Hope eventually got to the end of the hole, witch was in the clearing in the Emerald Forest, to see a Carrier Helicopter branded with a golden pheonix fly away. "I guess that was the Pheonix Guards" Said Hope, before a statue fell out of the Carrier Helicopter. "What the...?" Asked Hope.

Meanwhile, Level 15 Down, Glass Piller of Xroae Phosieo

Yang, Weiss and Ruby's hands were chained to a bigger version of the same statue, witch glowed with a bright orange aura, as did they. "Project Celmahica is 37.5 percent complete, ma'am. The Chameliac Statue is at a third intended strength, should we proceed?" Asked a scientist. "Proceed, Chocolate" Said Vega.


End file.
